“THE SCOREBOARD”
CENTRAL INDIANA HIGH SCHOOL REPORTED BASEBALL SCORES
CATHEDRAL 8 JACOBS 5
PIKE 11 RITTER 0
GEORGE ROGERS CLARK 7 UNIVERSITY 6
INDY TECH 22 TINDLEY 1
GUERIN CATHOLIC 10 FRANKTON 0
RONCALLI 18 LUTHERAN 4
BATESVILLE 6 SHELBYVILLE 2
INDY KINGS 13 IRVINGTON PREP 1
CONNERSVILLE 3 HAGERSTOWN 0
CARMEL 8 NOBLESVILLE 5
LAPEL 5 GREENFIELD CENTRAL 4
WESTFIELD 6 FRANKLIN CENTRAL 1
HOUSTON 10 BREBEUF 4
COLUMBUS NORTH 3 HAMILTON SE 2
CENTRAL INDIANA HIGH SCHOOL REPORTED SOFTBALL SCORES
RONCALLI 12 PERRY MERIDIAN 2
HORIZON CHRISTIAN 27 PURDUE POLY 3
INDIAN CREEK 3 MOORESVILLE 1
SHELBYVILLE 4 SEYMOUR 3
MORRISTOWEN 10 GREENWOOD CHRISTIAN 0
GUERIN CATHOLIC 10 BEECH GROVE 4
NOBLESVILLE 10 AVON 3
CENTER GROVE 6 FISHERS 1
GREENFIELD CENTRAL 4 HAMILTON SE 1
PLAINFIELD 5 CARMEL 3
WESTFIELD 10 FRANKLIN CENTRAL 1
OAKLAND 10 COVENANT CHRISTIAN 0
MEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL
NCAA MEN’S BASKETBALL TV SCHEDULE/RESULTS
FINAL FOUR SCHEDULE
SATURDAY, APRIL 5 (FINAL FOUR IN SAN ANTONIO)
(1) FLORIDA VS. (1) AUBURN, 6:09 P.M | CBS
(1) DUKE VS. (1) HOUSTON, 8:49 P.M. | CBS
MONDAY, APRIL 7 (NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME IN SAN ANTONIO)
8:50 P.M. ON CBS
NIT SCORES
UC IRVINE 69 NORTH TEXAS 67
CHATTANOOGA 80 LOYOLA IL 73
WOMEN’S NCAA TOURNAMENT TV SCHEDULE
FRIDAY, APRIL 4 (FINAL FOUR IN TAMPA, FLA.)
(1) SOUTH CAROLINA VS. (1) TEXAS, 7 P.M. ON ESPN
(1) UCLA VS. (2) UCONN, 9:30 P.M. ON ESPN
SUNDAY, APRIL 6 (NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME IN TAMPA, FLA.)
3 P.M. ON ABC
WNIT
NO GAMES SCHEDULED
INDIANA COLLEGE BASEBALL SCOREBOARD
LOUISVILLE 6 INDIANA 4
UCLA 13 PEPPERDINE 8
WESTERN MICHIGAN 5 NOTRE DAME 4
EASTERN ILLINOIS 14 BUTLER 8
BALL STATE 14 BELLARMINE 1
VALPO 8 MILWAUKEE 6
SOUTHERN INDIANA 10 NORTHERN KENTUCKY 0
EVANSVILLE 7 SE MISSOURI STATE 6
INDIANA STATE 12 SIU EDWARDSVILLE 5
INDIANA COLLEGE SOFTBALL SCOREBOARD
NOTRE DAME 10 NORTHWESTERN 10
INDIANA STATE 8 BUTLER 2
NORTHERN ILLINOIS 2 BALL STATE 1
NORTHERN ILLINOIS 3 BALL STATE 2
VALPO 3 ILLINOIS CHICAGO 2
VALPO 15 ILLINOIS CHICAGO 3
COLLEGE HOCKEY PLAYOFFS
NO GAMES SCHEDULED
INDIANA COLLEGE MEN’S LAX
NO GAMES SCHEDULED
INDIANA COLLEGE WOMEN’S LAX
UCONN 17 BUTLER 7
NBA SCOREBOARD
NEW YORK 105 PHILADELPHIA 91
PORTLAND 127 ATLANTA 113
MILWAUKEE 133 PHOENIX 123
ORLANDO 116 SAN ANTONIO 105
GOLDEN STATE 134 MEMPHIS 125
CHICAGO 137 TORONTO 118
MINNESOTA 140 DENVER 139 2OT
NHL SCOREBOARD
MONTRÉAL 3 FLORIDA 2 OT
WASHINGTON 4 BOSTON 3
COLUMBUS 8 NASHVILLE 4
BUFFALO 5 OTTAWA 2
TAMPA BAY 4 NY ISLANDERS 1
ST. LOUIS 2 DETROIT 1 OT
UTAH 3 CALGARY 1
EDMONTON 3 VEGAS 2
ANAHEIM 4 SAN JOSE 3
LOS ANGELES 4 WINNIPEG 1
MLB SCOREBOARD
TEXAS 1 CINCINNATI 0
MIAMI 4 NY METS 2
TAMPA BAY 7 PITTSBURGH 0
ARIZONA 7 NY YANKEES 5
TORONTO 5 WASHINGTON 3
MINNESOTA 8 CHICAGO WHITE SOX 3
MILWAUKEE 5 KANSAS CITY 0
LA ANGELS 9 ST. LOUIS 7 (11)
SAN FRANCISCO 3 HOUSTON 1
DETROIT 4 SEATTLE 1
SAN DIEGO 7 CLEVELAND 0
CHICAGO CUBS 7 LAS VEGAS 4
LA DODGERS 3 ATLANTA 1
MINOR LEAGUE BASEBALL
IOWA 2 INDIANAPOLIS 1
MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER
NO GAMES SCHEDULED
UFL SCOREBOARD
NO GAMES SCHEDULED
TOP NATIONAL HEADLINES
COLLEGE BASKETBALL NEWS
WHY COLLEGE BASKETBALL COACHES SAY THE GAME NO LONGER HAS THE SAME APPEAL
More than the deep runs in March Madness, the 660 victories over 37 years or even the 20 or so players he coached who ended up making millions in the NBA, Leonard Hamilton is proud of a number he can count on one hand.
It is, he says, the number of players he coached at Miami, and then for the past 23 seasons at Florida State, who failed to graduate.
Hamilton, now 76 and stepping away from a business he barely recognizes anymore, says he is at peace with leaving coaching behind. More than a dozen other coaches interviewed by The Associated Press leading up to this year’s NCAA tournaments expressed concern about the future of their industry. Most said they still liked their jobs, but it has taken some adjustments.
“What I have learned is, the skill set that was required to be a good coach 10 years ago, very little of that applies anymore,” said Buzz Williams, who just completed his sixth season at Texas A&M.
Coach after coach, from Miami’s Jim Larrañaga to Virginia’s Tony Bennett to Villanova’s Jay Wright and others have all walked away from the game, saying it no longer holds the appeal it once did. Some specifically blamed the transfer portal for the added stress — Michigan State coach Tom Izzo last week called the portal a “urinal” — and of course the pressure to compete for players with endorsement money, a topic that stretches beyond basketball.
Most of those coaches made comfortable careers in college, some of them earning big paychecks, and some of their replacements are doing just fine. But there is no way around the fact that many feel their profession is becoming difficult to manage in its current state and certainly doesn’t have the same feel-good goals it once did.
Answers? Williams doesn’t have them, other than “this upcoming season is going to be different from the last season.” Hamilton insists he doesn’t have answers either for a college sports landscape that feels more like a talent auction every day. Only questions.
One of them: “Is this what we want in college sports, people going to the highest bidder?” he asks. Hamilton said he will not answer that question, lest he be painted as a coach who left because he is against paying players.
Untethered from the prospect of having to lure those players to a program anymore, though, he can ask the questions in ways many other coaches can’t — or won’t: “Have you heard anybody talk about academics lately?” he said.
From APR to NIL
Final Four week used to be a week that induced handwringing over one of college basketball’s most defining metrics: The Academic Progress Rate (APR) scores would be held up as a North Star for programs that did things the “right way” or as a cudgel for those that didn’t, with the NCAA able to slap sanctions.
Debates on the road to the title would revolve around whether those still playing were the best examples of schools that produced “student-athletes,” to use the NCAA’s increasingly anachronistic term, or simply churned out one-and-dones who could come, contribute to a title run, then head for big bucks in the pros.
These days, big bucks are available in college. The APR still comes out each June, but its relevance has been replaced by a new entry in the NCAA’s cauldron of alphabet soup: NIL.
The numbers attached to the name, image and likeness deals are now what get the most attention. They are the most telling indicator of a program’s health and the main consideration – maybe the only consideration – when it comes to adding players from an increasingly packed transfer portal or simply keeping them on your own roster.
UCLA coach Cori Close, who is taking the program to its first women’s Final Four, says the Bruins have all the advantages they need to stay competitive.
“That being said, globally, I do wonder if we are eroding the true lessons that stay with young people for the rest of their lives,” Close said. “My biggest commitment in being a coach is preparing young people for life after basketball and I sometimes worry … we’re eroding some of the character building that I think is really what’s most special about college athletics.”
Judge’s ruling to set table for new era
Next Monday, a federal judge will hear final arguments before deciding whether to approve the House settlement, a $2.8 billion plan that will add a new layer of change to an already unstable landscape.
If Judge Claudia Wilken approves the settlement as expected, then for the first time, schools will be allowed to share TV, ticket and other revenue to the tune of around $20.5 million per year per institution with their athletes. That will be in addition to the payments already allowed from third parties that are turning college players into millionaires.
Duke’s Cooper Flagg, the biggest star in the men’s college game and the favorite to cut down the nets in San Antonio a few hours after that hearing, is making an estimated $4.8 million via NIL deals. Next year, five-star recruit AJ Dybantsa is expected to play at BYU on a deal reportedly worth $7 million.
If the settlement is approved, the new rules will go into play on July 1. The schools – even the biggest and best organized – are scrambling to put the pieces in place.
“We’re not ready to go, and I think if anybody says that they are, they’re not telling the truth,” Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel said. “We’re getting nearer to being ready to go.”
Life as a coach means change
As leader of one of the wealthiest athletic departments in the country, with a donor base that matches its storied tradition, Manuel has things relatively good.
Last year, when the Wolverines were coach shopping, they made a run at Florida Atlantic coach Dusty May — he was fresh off his team’s magical run to the Final Four — and had the resources to land him. One of May’s top players at FAU, Vlad Goldin, and one of his top recruits, LJ Cason, came with him.
That sort of churn, from the smaller school to the bigger one, is now a daily occurrence in college basketball.
At Northern Colorado, Steve Smiley came oh-so-close to the program’s second March Madness appearance last month. The Bears, playing in the Big Sky Conference, are a solid program that occasionally nabs a great player.
Two seasons ago, that player was Dalton Knecht, who blossomed and averaged 20 points and seven rebounds. A year later, he was making bigger money at Tennessee on his way to the NBA. Last year, the diamond in the rough was Saint Thomas, who came to Northern Colorado from Loyola-Chicago. This season, he played for Southern California.
“I still enjoy coaching every bit as much as I ever have,” Smiley said. “But I’m from the small colleges, I played Division II basketball, I coached at junior college and a lot of different levels before getting to this one. You wear a million different hats, and you grow with that idea, and it’s helped us be able to adjust to all the movement and change.”
Show me the money
Back in 2010, Tad Boyle left Northern Colorado to move down the road to University of Colorado. He has spent those years turning the Buffaloes into a semi-regular contender. But not this year.
In a season that flew far under the radar at a school where Deion Sanders’ reinvigoration of the football program is hogging the attention, Boyle went 14-20 after losing six players to the NBA and the transfer portal.
Boyle, as always, was handed a ballot to vote for his conference’s coach of the year at the end of the season. This year, he refused to fill it out. He said there was no way to assess who did a good job unless you knew how much money their programs had to pay players.
“We know what the Kansas City Royals payroll is. We know what the New York Yankees payroll is, and then we can judge whether the Royals have a better year than the Yankees based upon that,” Boyle said in drawing an analogy to a relatively transparent system that does not exist in college sports.
What are the rules and who enforces them?
Even if schools are freed up to spend $20.5 million on players under terms of the settlement, that money will be distributed in different ways to players in different sports – mostly football and men’s and women’s basketball.
While there are plans for an enforcement body to make sure everyone follows the same rules, even its role is murky with the launch only three months away.
The payments will come from the schools — above the table — but the general lack of transparency in college sports put a disconcerting spin on Hamilton’s departure from Florida State. Late last year, six players sued the coach, claiming he did not make good on promises to pay them NIL money in a dispute seen elsewhere this past season.
The school has denied wrongdoing. Hamilton doesn’t talk about the lawsuit. He is more comfortable asking questions about the world that created it.
“You can’t be the president of Chrysler today and the president of Ford tomorrow. You can’t play for the Lakers on Monday, then go play for the Clippers on Friday,” Hamilton said. “And somebody needs to be accountable for the chaos and explain what the thought process is of how we’re supposed to deal with all this. There has to be a structure. That’s how you keep order in society.”
COOPER FLAGG, JOHNI BROOME HEADLINE WOODEN AWARD FINALISTS
Duke star Cooper Flagg and Auburn standout Johni Broome are among the five Wooden Award finalists and part of the 10-player All-Star team, the Los Angeles Athletic Club announced Tuesday night.
Florida’s Walter Clayton Jr., Alabama’s Mark Sears and Purdue’s Braden Smith round out the finalists.
Flagg, Broome and Clayton are on teams that reached the NCAA Tournament’s Final Four. The Wooden Award winner will be announced Saturday at the Final Four in San Antonio.
Flagg, a freshman who turned 18 on Dec. 21, averages 18.9 points, 7.5 rebounds and 4.2 assists for the Blue Devils. He was the Atlantic Coast Conference Player of the Year.
Broome, a fifth-year senior who started his career at Morehead State, averages 18.7 points and 10.9 rebounds and won Southeastern Conference Player of the Year honors.
Smith was Big Ten Player of the Year and averaged 15.8 points and 8.7 assists. Clayton averages 18.1 points and 4.2 assists and Sears averaged 18.6 points and 5.1 rebounds.
Rounding out the Wooden All-American squad are Houston’s L.J. Cryer, Marquette’s Kam Jones, Creighton’s Ryan Kalkbrenner, Tennessee’s Chaz Lanier and Wisconsin’s John Tonje.
NBA NEWS
NBA SUSPENDS 5 PLAYERS FOR THEIR ROLES IN PISTONS-TIMBERWOLVES ALTERCATION THAT SPILLED INTO STANDS
NEW YORK (AP) — Detroit’s Isaiah Stewart was suspended for two games and four other players from the Pistons and Minnesota Timberwolves drew one-game suspensions for their roles in an on-court altercation between the teams earlier this week, the NBA said Tuesday.
Stewart got two games “based in part on his repeated history of unsportsmanlike acts,” the league said.
The NBA handed the one-game bans to Detroit’s Ron Holland II and Marcus Sasser along with Minnesota’s Naz Reid and Donte DiVincenzo. All five of those players were ejected from Sunday’s game, as were Detroit coach J.B. Bickerstaff and Minnesota assistant Pablo Prigioni.
“Obviously things went too far,” Bickerstaff said after that game. “But what you see is guys looking out for one another, guys trying to protect one another, guys trying to have each other’s backs. … Those are non-negotiables in our locker room.”
The incident began when Holland fouled Reid with 8:36 left in the second quarter of the Timberwolves’ 123-104 victory over the Pistons in Minneapolis. Reid confronted Holland, who then pushed DiVincenzo, who then shoved Holland — and they wound up falling into spectators seated along the baseline.
Stewart and Sasser then entered the altercation, “which resulted in a continued escalation of the situation,” the league said.
Reid and DiVincenzo will serve their one-game suspensions Tuesday when the Timberwolves visit Denver. Stewart will begin serving his suspension Wednesday when the Pistons visit Oklahoma City, and Holland and Sasser also will serve their suspensions in that game.
NBA ROUNDUP: WOLVES OVERCOME NIKOLA JOKIC (61), NUGGETS IN 2OT
Nickeil Alexander-Walker hit two free throws with 0.1 seconds left in double overtime, and the visiting Minnesota Timberwolves overcame a 61-point triple-double from Nikola Jokic to beat the Denver Nuggets 140-139 on Tuesday night.
Jokic never sat after halftime en route to the first game with at least 60 points in his career. His 61 topped De’Aaron Fox’s 60 for the most in a game this season. Jokic also had 10 rebounds, 10 assists and two steals.
Anthony Edwards had 34 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists, Alexander-Walker and Julius Randle had 26 points each for the Timberwolves, who have won three straight. Minnesota was without Donte DiVincenzo and Naz Reid, who served one-game suspensions for their part in the fight with the Detroit Pistons on Monday.
Aaron Gordon had 30 points and Christian Braun contributed 18 points, 12 rebounds and three steals for Denver, which had won three of its past four games.
Warriors 134, Grizzlies 125
Stephen Curry scored 52 points and Jimmy Butler III added 27 to lead Golden State past host Memphis for its third straight victory and 12th in the past 15 games.
Curry made 16 of 31 shots, including 12 of 20 from beyond the 3-point arc, and also contributed 10 rebounds, eight assists and five steals. He moved into 25th place on the NBA’s all-time scoring list, surpassing Jerry West (25,192) and ending the night at 25,205.
Draymond Green had 13 points, 10 rebounds and 12 assists for the Warriors, who made 28 of 28 free throws. Ja Morant led the Grizzlies with 36 points and six assists. Jaren Jackson Jr. scored 22, and rookie big man Zach Edey tied a career high with 16 boards to go along with 10 points and four blocks.
Magic 116, Spurs 105
Paolo Banchero racked up 24 points and 10 rebounds and Franz Wagner added 24 points as Orlando handled host San Antonio in a late-season dustup with playoff implications.
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope scored 23 points for the Magic while hitting seven 3-pointers and Caleb Houstan scored 12. Orlando is now tied with the Atlanta Hawks for seventh place in the East with seven games to play.
Harrison Barnes led the Spurs with 24 points. Julian Champagnie added 19 points, Stephon Castle scored 16, Devin Vassell and Bismack Biyombo had 11 each and Chris Paul hit for 10 as San Antonio dropped its fifth straight game.
Knicks 105, 76ers 91
OG Anunoby scored 27 points and Landry Shamet sank six 3-pointers as part of his 20-point performance, fueling host New York to a victory over spiraling Philadelphia.
Anunoby sank 11 of 13 free-throw attempts to continue his torrid play. He has scored 149 points over his last five games. Mitchell Robinson collected 14 points and 14 rebounds after drawing the spot start with five-time All-Star Karl-Anthony Towns sitting out due to left knee soreness. Mikal Bridges also scored 14 points for the Knicks, who completed a four-game season sweep of Philadelphia.
Quentin Grimes scored 26 points for the undermanned 76ers, who have lost nine in a row and 24 of their last 27 games. Tyrese Maxey (finger), Kelly Oubre Jr. (knee) and Andre Drummond (toe) were ruled out for a Philadelphia team that already was without Joel Embiid and Paul George due to season-ending injuries.
Bulls 137, Raptors 118
Coby White scored 28 points and Talen Horton-Tucker added a season-high 27 as Chicago ended visiting Toronto’s four-game winning streak with a victory.
Nikola Vucevic had 22 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists for Chicago, which led by as many as 28 and snapped a two-game skid. Josh Giddey added 17 points and 12 assists, and Kevin Huerter scored 16. Chicago secured a spot in the play-in tournament for a third consecutive season with the victory. The Bulls moved into the No. 10 seed in the Eastern Conference, one-half game behind the idle Miami Heat.
Immanuel Quickley and Ja’Kobe Walter led Toronto with 17 points apiece. Orlando Robinson and A.J. Lawson each scored 13 points, and Jakob Poeltl added 12. Matas Buzelis finished with nine points and a career-high four steals for the Bulls, who bounced back from a 145-117 road loss to the NBA-best Oklahoma City Thunder on Monday.
Bucks 133, Suns 123
Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 37 points and dished 11 assists to lead Milwaukee past visiting Phoenix and former head coach Mike Budenholzer.
Ryan Rollins added a career-high 23 points as Milwaukee snapped a four-game losing streak. The Bucks also got 22 points from Brook Lopez. Devin Booker amassed 39 points and 11 assists for Phoenix, which lost its fourth game in a row. Former Buck Grayson Allen added 23 points.
The Suns cut their deficit to four points with 1:20 to play after a 3-pointer by Allen, but Rollins nailed a trey. Then dunks from Lopez and Prince sealed the Bucks’ victory.
Trail Blazers 127, Hawks 113
Deni Avdija recorded his second career triple-double and combined with Shaedon Sharpe to score 65 points as visiting Portland defeated Atlanta to end a four-game losing streak.
Avdija had 32 points — his seventh time to reach 30 points this season — and added 15 rebounds and 10 assists. Sharpe finished with 33 points and 10 rebounds. Toumani Camara added 18 points.
Atlanta’s Trae Young tallied 29 points — on 7-for-20 shooting — and 15 assists for his 46th double-double of the season. Dyson Daniels added 22 points, 10 rebounds and two steals but also had six turnovers. The Hawks have lost three of their last four games.
BASEBALL NEWS
WORLD SERIES CHAMP, 2-TIME ALL-STAR PITCHER LANCE LYNN SAYS HE’S RETIRING
World Series champion and two-time All-Star pitcher Lance Lynn is retiring from Major League Baseball.
Lynn announced his decision Tuesday on the “Dymin in the Rough” podcast.
He was 7-4 with a 3.84 ERA in 23 starts last season with St. Louis. The right-hander was 143-99 in his career with the Cardinals, Chicago White Sox, Texas, Minnesota, Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees.
Lynn was an All-Star with the Cardinals in 2012, when he finished the season 18-7, and in 2021 with the White Sox.
St. Louis selected the former Mississippi star No. 39 overall in 2008. Lynn, who is from Indianapolis, helped the Cardinals win the World Series as a rookie in 2011 when he was 2-0 in 10 postseason appearances.
MLB ROUNDUP: RANGERS’ NATHAN EOVALDI SHUTS OUT REDS
Nathan Eovaldi continued his mastery of the Cincinnati Reds, tossing his third career shutout, and Wyatt Langford provided the only run with a solo homer as the visiting Texas Rangers prevailed 1-0 Tuesday night.
Eovaldi (1-0) has registered a quality start in all five career outings against Cincinnati. On Tuesday, he needed just 99 pitches to finish the four-hit masterpiece. He struck out eight and walked none. Lifetime against the Reds, Eovaldi has now allowed just six runs (five earned) over 36 innings, lowering his ERA to 1.25, with 20 hits and 35 strikeouts.
After the two teams combined for 17 runs, 19 hits and four home runs Monday, Texas and Cincinnati put on a pitching clinic Tuesday night. Reds starter Carson Spiers (0-1) yielded just one run on three hits, walking two, striking out five and hitting a batter.
Langford, who finished 2-for-4, gave the Rangers their first lead of the three-game series, lifting Carson Spiers’ sinking fastball several rows deep into the seats in left for his second homer of the season.
Diamondbacks 7, Yankees 5
Eugenio Suarez blasted a go-ahead grand slam in the eighth inning as visiting Arizona stormed back to hand New York its first loss.
The Diamondbacks scored five in the eighth inning against the combination of Tim Hill and Mark Leiter Jr. (0-1). Leiter was one strike away from leaving the bases loaded, but Suarez got enough of a 2-2 splitter and the ball carried into the left field seats.
Earlier, Corbin Carroll hit a two-run homer off New York starter Will Warren, and Corbin Burnes allowed four runs (two earned) in 4 1/3 innings in his debut for the Diamondbacks. Jasson Dominguez and Anthony Volpe homered in the third and fourth innings off Burnes.
Angels 9, Cardinals 7 (11 innings)
Yoan Moncada hit the decisive two-run double in the 11th inning as visiting Los Angeles outlasted St. Louis.
Nolan Schanuel hit a two-run triple and Mike Trout added a two-run double for the Angels, who have won four straight games since losing their opener. Kyle Hendricks held the Cardinals to two runs on seven hits in six innings. He struck out four and walked none. Ryan Johnson (1-0), the Angels’ fifth reliever, earned his first big league victory, and Ryan Zeferjahn earned his first career save.
Jordan Walker had a homer and two RBIs, and Luken Baker hit a two-run double in the 10th inning for the Cardinals. Matthew Liberatore allowed three runs on six hits in six innings. He struck out four and walked none. Chris Roycroft (0-1), the fifth Cardinals pitcher, took the loss.
Cubs 7, A’s 4
Justin Steele carried a lead into the seventh inning, Kyle Tucker and Seiya Suzuki homered, and Chicago kept the Athletics winless in their new West Sacramento, Calif., home.
Tucker scored three times and Suzuki drove in three runs with his homer for the Cubs, who opened Sutter Health Park as a major league venue on Monday night with an 18-3 romp. Steele (2-1) gave up four runs on seven hits and a walk, striking out six, in 6 2/3 innings.
Brent Rooker and Shea Langeliers each hit two-run homers for the A’s. Starter Luis Severino settled down after a shaky start to get through six innings. He was charged with six runs (five earned) on six hits; he walked three and struck out six.
Tigers 4, Mariners 1
Casey Mize allowed one hit over 5 2/3 scoreless innings in his season debut as Detroit defeated host Seattle for the second straight day.
Riley Greene went 2-for-4 with a double and home run for the Tigers. Mize, a right-hander who was the first overall selection in the 2018 MLB Draft, allowed two baserunners in the first but proceeded to retire the next 14 batters. Mize walked three and struck out six.
Tigers relievers Beau Brieske, Will Vest and Tommy Kahnle combined for 3 1/3 hitless innings to finish off the one-hitter. Kahnle worked the ninth for his first save. Mariners right-hander Logan Gilbert (0-1) took the loss. Gilbert — the 14th overall pick in 2018 — gave up three runs on five hits in five innings with one walk and 10 strikeouts.
Giants 3, Astros 1
Logan Webb worked seven strong innings, Heliot Ramos clubbed his third home run, and visiting San Francisco earned an interleague series victory over Houston.
Webb allowed five hits and one run, with no walks and six strikeouts. Willy Adames’ two-run double in the third inning gave the Giants a 2-0 lead. He flipped a sweeper from Astros right-hander Hayden Wesneski (0-1) into left field with one out in the third.
In five innings, Wesneski tallied six strikeouts and allowed three runs on two hits and three walks. Houston’s Jose Altuve opened the bottom of the fourth with a home run to left, his first of the season.
Padres 7, Guardians 0
Michael King fanned 11 over five shutout innings and Jackson Merrill homered as San Diego extended the best start to a season in franchise history with a shutout win over visiting Cleveland.
King (1-0) gave up just two hits and a walk before four relievers combined for four hitless frames as San Diego won its sixth straight game. After walking Steven Kwan to start the game and getting Jose Ramirez to pop out, King struck out the next six batters. Cleveland pitchers finished the night with 16 strikeouts.
Logan Allen (0-1) lasted 5 1/3 innings, yielding seven hits and four runs with five walks and a strikeout for the Guardians. He skated out of early jams by inducing three double plays, but his luck ran out in the middle innings.
Dodgers 3, Braves 1
Mookie Betts hit a go-ahead two-run homer in the sixth inning, Dustin May went five strong innings in his return to the major leagues and Los Angeles increased its season-opening win streak to seven games with a victory over visiting Atlanta.
Will Smith added an RBI single for the Dodgers, who played without Freddie Freeman (ankle) for the fourth time in seven games. The club set a Los Angeles-era record for most consecutive victories to start a season. May made his first appearance since May 17, 2023. He gave up an unearned run on one hit while walking three and striking out six. May ended up with a no-decision as Anthony Banda (2-0) pitched the sixth inning to get the win. Tanner Scott pitched a 1-2-3 ninth inning for his second save.
Braves left-hander Chris Sale (0-1) was charged with three runs on four hits over five-plus innings, with no walks and five strikeouts. Sale remained winless in two starts after winning the National League Cy Young Award last season.
Rays 7, Pirates 0
Shane Baz continued the trend of strong Tampa Bay starting pitching, Brandon Lowe homered and drove in three, and the host Rays spoiled the major league debut of Pittsburgh prospect Thomas Harrington.
A 2017 first-round draft pick by the Pirates, Baz (1-0) fired six scoreless innings in his initial 2025 start. Using 96 pitches, the power right-hander allowed seven hits and fanned a career-high 10, including the side in his final frame. Mason Englert (two innings) and Mason Montgomery closed out the shutout as Rays pitchers struck out 15 without a walk. Lowe was 3-for-4 with a walk while Kameron Misner had a hit and two RBIs. Jake Mangum finished 3-for-4 with a double, two runs, two RBIs and a stolen base.
Ke’Bryan Hayes and Bryan Reynolds each had two of Pittsburgh’s nine total hits — all singles. Harrington (0-1) was hit hard over four innings, surrendering six runs on seven hits on 90 pitches. He struck out two and walked four.
Blue Jays 5, Nationals 3
Bo Bichette bounced a two-run single into right field with two outs in the eighth inning as Toronto defeated visiting Washington for a third straight win.
Bichette, Alejandro Kirk, George Springer and Wagner each had two hits for Toronto, which scored three runs on five singles in the second inning. Starter Jose Berrios struck out eight and gave up two runs on four hits and three walks in 5 2/3 innings.
Washington starter Trevor Williams gave up those three runs on 10 hits in five innings. CJ Abrams went 3-for-4 with an RBI and run scored. Alex Call went 2-for-3 and scored the tying run on Abrams’ double in the seventh.
Twins 8, White Sox 3
Jose Miranda delivered a go-ahead, two-run single in a five-run sixth inning and Ryan Jeffers and Ty France each had two hits and an RBI as Minnesota won easily in Chicago.
Outscored 28-6 during an 0-4 start, the Twins regrouped to earn their first victory of the season. Edouard Julien added a run-scoring single. Harrison Bader hit a three-run homer in the ninth to cap the scoring.
The White Sox led 3-0 after five innings, on two RBIs by Brooks Baldwin and a home run by Nick Maton. Rookie right-hander Shane Smith went 5 2/3 innings in his major league debut – giving up two runs on two hits, walking four and striking out three.
Brewers 5, Royals 0
Rookie Chad Patrick and four relievers combined on a four-hitter to pace Milwaukee past visiting Kansas City as the Brewers avoided their first 0-5 start since 1984.
Patrick, making his first major league start, tossed 4 2/3 scoreless innings before exiting with two aboard in the fifth. He struck out five and walked three in an 86-pitch outing.
Eric Haase staked the Brewers to a 1-0 lead with one out in the third inning with his first home run. The Brewers scored one more in the inning and twice more in the sixth before Christian Yelich’s homer in the eighth.
Marlins 4, Mets 2
Sandy Alcantara threw five strong innings and Kyle Stowers blasted a two-run home run as Miami defeated visiting New York, the Marlins’ third win in their last four games.
Alcantara (1-0), who was pulled after 70 pitches, allowed two runs on three hits and no walks. He struck out four. Graham Pauley laced a two-run double in fourth for the game’s big hit.
Mets starter Kodai Senga (0-1) allowed four runs (two earned) on three hits and a walk in five innings. He struck out eight. Brandon Nimmo was 2-for-4, including a solo home run in the second inning for New York.
NFL NEWS
NFL POSTPONES A DECISION ON THE TUSH PUSH BUT PASSES OTHER RULE CHANGES
PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — A decision on the future of the tush push has been pushed until next month.
NFL team owners had been set to vote Tuesday on Green Bay’s proposal to ban the play that’s helped the Philadelphia Eagles win one Super Bowl and reach another, but it was tabled until May.
Team owners approved modifying the kickoff rule, expanding replay assist, revising overtime rules, along with other changes.
Postponing the tush push vote means the debate will continue while teams gather more information. Proponents of the play and those who oppose it presented strong arguments while the league’s medical experts expressed safety concerns.
NFL Competition Committee chairman Rich McKay stressed the issues surrounding the play extend beyond safety because there’s not enough data to indicate it’s dangerous. The league already has said no injuries have been reported on a tush push.
“There are definitely some people that have health and safety concerns, but there’s just as many people that have football concerns,” McKay said. “So I wouldn’t say it was because of one particular health and safety video or discussion. It was much more about the play, the aesthetics of the play, is it part of what football has been traditionally, or is it more of a rugby play? All those types of discussions. Health and safety is still there because of potential but I wouldn’t go beyond that.”
The league prohibited pushing or pulling a player before a rule change in 2004. McKay said the Packers asked to pull the proposal so they could reintroduce the previous language, study it, and bring it up for discussion for a vote at the May meetings.
It takes 24 of 32 votes to approve rule changes.
“It went to many different directions beyond health and safety,” McKay said of the 30 to 40-minute conversation. “Just the traditional-ness of the play, the idea that you could push another player, the idea that we prohibit pushing on the defense but we don’t prohibit it on the offense. It went in all those directions.”
As for changes that did pass, regular-season overtime rules now will match those in the playoffs and both teams will have a chance to get a possession even if the offense scores a touchdown on the opening drive. The proposal was amended to make overtime 10 minutes, not 15 minutes.
Owners also approved a proposal from the NFL Competition Committee to allow replay assist to consult on-field officials to overrule objective calls such as facemask penalties, whether there was forcible contact to the head or neck area, horse-collar tackles or tripping if there was “clear and obvious” evidence that a foul didn’t occur. Replay also would be able to overturn a roughing-the-kicker or running-into-the-kicker penalty if video showed the defender made contact with the ball.
Replay assist could wipe out a foul only if it was incorrectly called, but it will not be used to throw a flag if a penalty wasn’t called.
The dynamic kickoff rule becomes permanent, with touchbacks moving to the 35-yard line instead of the 30.
Pittsburgh’s proposal to allow teams to have one video or phone call with no more than five prospective unrestricted free agents during the two-day negotiation period was approved. Teams now can make travel arrangements with such players upon agreeing to terms.
Also, owners approved a rule to permit clubs to prepare kicking footballs (“K-Balls”) before game day, similar to the process permitted for game footballs.
Detroit’s proposal for playoff seeding to be based on winning percentage was also tabled for May. The proposal to stop automatic first downs from being awarded on defensive holding and illegal contact penalties didn’t pass.
Philadelphia’s version of the quarterback sneak sparked the most intense discussions.
Bills coach Sean McDermott was among those leading the push to get rid of it, even though Buffalo used it more than any team other than the Eagles.
“I feel where I’m most concerned is, even though there is not significant data out there to this point, my biggest concern is the health and safety of the players, first and foremost,” McDermott said Monday. “It’s two things. It’s force, added force, No. 1, and then the posture of the players, being asked to execute that type of play, that’s where my concern comes in. … I’m not a doctor. I’m not going to get too deep into that situation there, in terms of how much data, how much sample. I don’t think that’s really always the best way to go. There is other data out there that suggests when you’re in a posture like we’re talking about, that can lead to serious injury. I think being responsible and proactive in that regard is the right way to go.”
The Eagles began using the play in short-yardage situations in 2022. Two or three players line up behind quarterback Jalen Hurts and push him forward. Several other teams including the Bills began using it, but no team has matched Philadelphia’s success rate.
“Tough play to stop but then you’re listening to that and the medical side and you probably could go either way with it,” said Chiefs coach Andy Reid, whose team lost 40-22 to the Eagles in the Super Bowl. “But I would say if it’s putting a player in a bad position, then you probably have to do something about it. But if it’s not, it’s a heck of a play.”
NFL IMPLEMENTING HAWK-EYE SYSTEM TO MEASURE FIRST DOWNS
The method for measuring first downs in the NFL will switch from chain gangs to camera-based technology in 2025, the league announced Tuesday.
The official use of Sony’s Hawk-Eye virtual measurement system, consisting of six 8K cameras for optical tracking of the ball’s position, was announced at the annual league meeting in Palm Beach, Fla.
The technology is “an efficient alternative to the process of walking chains onto the field and manually measuring whether 10 yards have been met after the official has spotted the ball,” the league said in a news release.
The traditional chain crew will remain on the sidelines in a secondary capacity.
“The NFL and Sony are integrating world-class on-field officiating with state-of-the-art technology to advance football excellence,” said Troy Vincent, the NFL’s executive vice president of football operations. “Combining the art of officiating with Sony’s trusted Hawk-Eye system is a healthy recipe for success in our commitment to raising the standards of accuracy, consistency and efficiency. Replay technology and data-driven insights from Sony’s Hawk-Eye Innovations aid us in advancing our efforts toward the future of football.”
The system notifies on-field officials of the measurement’s outcome, with virtual recreations of the measurements produced in real time for the in-stadium crowds and broadcast audience. The total process takes about 30 seconds, saving up to 40 seconds over measurement via chains.
The Hawk-Eye system will be operated from the NFL’s Art McNally GameDay Central Officiating Center in New York and integrated with the league’s existing replay system.
“Sony’s longstanding relationship with the NFL is built upon our joint desire to innovate and bring audiences closer to the action, and Sony’s Hawk-Eye virtual measurement system further activates on those commitments,” said Neal Manowitz, president and COO of Sony Electronics, North America. “We look forward to providing more excitement to passionate fans as we help transform the game in ways that are only possible through the power of creativity and technology.”
NHL NEWS
NHL ROUNDUP: ALEX OVECHKIN PULLS WITHIN 3 OF TYING GOALS MARK
Alex Ovechkin scored his 891st career goal to move within four of breaking Wayne Gretzky’s all-time NHL record, helping the Washington Capitals defeat the host Boston Bruins 4-3 on Tuesday night.
Washington scored twice in both the first and third periods en route to breaking a three-game skid (0-2-1). Goals from Nic Dowd and Ovechkin gave the Capitals a 2-0 lead. Boston came back to tie before Dylan Strome and Tom Wilson scored in the third.
David Pastrnak scored twice, Morgan Geekie had two assists and Vinni Lettieri also found the net for Boston, which has lost nine straight (0-8-1).
With Washington up 1-0, Ovechkin scored on the power play with 4:17 left in the first. John Carlson’s initial shot from the high slot took a deflection off the skate of Strome in front and right to Ovechkin, who settled the puck and scored it into an open side of the net.
Blues 2, Red Wings 1 (OT)
Defenseman Cam Fowler’s goal with 1:33 left in overtime gave host St. Louis its 10th straight victory, a come-from-behind win over Detroit.
Jordan Kyrou got the other Blues’ goal, assisted by Fowler, and Jordan Binnington stopped 20 shots. Binnington was the NHL’s Third Star for the month of March after going 8-2-0 with a 2.21 goals-against average and .910 save percentage.
J.T. Compher scored for the Red Wings, who are struggling to stay alive for an Eastern Conference wild-card playoff spot. Cam Talbot made 35 saves.
Canadiens 3, Panthers 2 (OT)
Nick Suzuki scored twice, the tying goal with 8.4 seconds left in regulation and the overtime winner, as Montreal edged visiting Florida.
Suzuki beat Vitek Vanecek with a wraparound 29 seconds into the extra period for his 25th of the season. In the last seconds of the third period, Suzuki, the Canadiens’ captain, tapped in a Lane Hutson feed to force overtime.
Hutson added three assists, giving him 57 on the season, passing Chris Chelios (55, 1984-85 Canadiens) for the second-most assists by a rookie NHL defenseman. Hutson now trails only Larry Murphy (60, 1980-81 Los Angeles Kings). Niko Mikkola and Mackie Samoskevich scored for the Panthers.
Ducks 4, Sharks 3 (SO)
Mason McTavish scored the only goal of the shootout and added three assists in regulation as Anaheim edged visiting San Jose.
Trevor Zegras and Sam Colangelo each had a goal and an assist and Jackson LaCombe scored for Anaheim, which wrapped up a 3-2-0 homestand by completing a three-game season sweep of the Sharks. Lukas Dostal made 28 saves.
Shakir Mukhamadullin, Alexander Wennberg and Marc-Edouard Vlasic scored goals and Alexandar Georgiev stopped 34 shots for the Sharks, who have lost three straight.
Oilers 3, Golden Knights 2
Leon Draisaitl scored his league-leading 52nd goal to highlight a three-goal second period for Edmonton, which held on for a win in Las Vegas.
Jake Walman and Viktor Arvidsson also scored and Evan Bouchard had two assists for the Oilers, who extended their third-place lead in the Pacific Division to nine points over the Calgary Flames. Edmonton’s Calvin Pickard stopped 20 of 22 shots.
Nicolas Roy and Pavel Dorofeyev each scored for Vegas, which had a six-game winning streak snapped. Adin Hill, making his fourth straight start, finished with 17 saves. The Golden Knights officially clinched a playoff spot midgame when Calgary lost in regulation at Utah.
Sabres 5, Senators 2
Rasmus Dahlin and Alex Tuch each had a goal and an assist for visiting Buffalo, which completed a season sweep of its four games with Ottawa.
Mattias Samuelsson had two assists, and James Reimer made 33 saves for the Sabres.
Claude Giroux and Jake Sanderson tallied for the Senators, who have lost five of their past eight games (3-4-1). Linus Ullmark turned aside 17 shots.
Lightning 4, Islanders 1
Jake Guentzel and Victor Hedman scored the game-winning and insurance goals in the second period for Tampa Bay during a victory in Elmont, N.Y.
Oliver Bjorkstrand opened the scoring in the first and Nick Paul added an empty-netter late in the third for the Lightning, who have won four straight. Nikita Kucherov and Brayden Point had two assists apiece, Guentzel added an assist, and Andrei Vasilevskiy made 28 saves.
Bo Horvat scored in the first for the Islanders, who lost their sixth straight game (0-4-2). Ilya Sorokin recorded 20 saves.
Blue Jackets 8, Predators 4
Kirill Marchenko’s third career hat trick and career-best four points sparked a big night for Columbus en route to an easy win over visiting Nashville.
The three-goal, one-assist night also allowed the Russian forward, 24, to post his first 30-goal season. Marchenko was one of seven players who recorded multiple points for the Blue Jackets, who logged a third win in four games.
Filip Forsberg, Michael Bunting, Justin Barron and Jordan Oesterle all scored and Luke Evangelista assisted on two for the Predators, who took their fourth consecutive loss.
Kings 4, Jets 1
Anze Kopitar, Andrei Kuzmenko and Adrian Kempe each had a goal and an assist as Los Angeles defeated visiting Winnipeg, completing a three-game season sweep.
Trevor Moore scored the other goal for the Kings, who logged their second victory in a row. Darcy Kuemper stopped 18 of 19 shots.
Cole Perfetti scored the lone goal for the Jets, whose three-game winning streak ended. Connor Hellebuyck made 16 saves.
Utah Hockey Club 3, Flames 1
Barrett Hayton’s early-second-period goal held up as the winner thanks to stellar goaltending by Karel Vejmelka as Utah held on for a victory over Calgary in Salt Lake City.
Vejmelka, who made his 18th consecutive start between the pipes, stopped 33 shots. Kevin Stenlund and Clayton Keller also scored for Utah, which has won two straight.
Rasmus Andersson replied for the Flames, whose playoff hopes took a huge hit. Dustin Wolf stopped 25 shots.
GOLF NEWS
THE MASTERS GOES ON WITHOUT TIGER WOODS. NO JOKE
Tiger Woods can’t get back to golf soon enough. Anything to keep him off social media.
First came words rarely heard from Woods — “Love is in the air” — in his social media post last week confirming he was in a relationship with the former daughter-in-law of President Donald Trump, accompanied by a two photos, one of them snuggling on a hammock.
More confounding, of course, was posting the photos along with a plea for privacy. But that was right out of his playbook from a decade ago when he was dating skiing great Lindsey Vonn. Provide proof (photos) to devalue and discourage the paparazzi.
Tuesday brought something new from Woods — an April Fools’ Day joke.
“I can’t believe I am saying this,” Woods wrote on X, another phrase he rarely uses, “but a few weeks after rupturing my left Achilles, the sleeping in a hyperbaric chamber plus the explosive lifts my doctors and trainers have me ready to play the Masters next week! Can’t wait! See y’all on the course.”
He waited six minutes before clarifying that yes, that was a joke.
“My Achilles is still a mess,” he wrote.
That so many people fell for it is largely an example of social media destroying brain cells and partly because so many still hold out hope for his return.
Bernhard Langer had a tear in his Achilles tendon and remarkably made it back to the PGA Tour Champions in three months, although he used a cart. Woods said this was a rupture, meaning 2025 will be another lost year in the majors, the only tournaments he still plays.
Besides, what is anyone hoping to see?
Between the hardware holding his right leg and ankle together, a sixth surgery on his lower back, a ruptured Achilles tendon and a birth certificate that shows him turning 50 at the end of the year, the future is as cloudy as the forecast for Augusta National next week.
And it’s been that way for some time.
In the five years since golf returned from the pandemic-caused shutdown — that includes a full year in 2021 when Woods suffered severe leg injuries from his car crash outside Los Angeles — he has played 18 tournaments and has not finished closer than 12 shots of the winner in the 11 times he managed to get in 72 holes.
His greatest feat was making the cut at the Masters last year for a record 24th time in a row. Woods has never missed the weekend at Augusta National as a pro.
No doubt, that first full week in April for golf has become synonymous with yellow jasmine, pink azaleas, white dogwoods and a red shirt on Sunday.
Woods at a Augusta National is special. Always will be.
Gene Sarazen, who put the Masters on the map in 1935 with his famous “shot heard ‘round the world” when he holed out from the 15th fairway for an albatross, made his last cut at age 61 and played until he was 71, then became an honorary starter until he died.
Sarazen was 90 when he told this gem of a conversation with the Masters chairman: “I told Hord Hardin I was getting too old to play in the Masters, but he kept saying: ‘Gene, they don’t want to see you play. They just want to see if you’re still alive.”
Woods hasn’t been competitive in more than five years, but it’s hard to imagine he won’t be back. And if he is good enough to win a U.S. Open on one leg, there’s enough cause for hope to see a little magic.
Would even one tee shot be enough to satisfy his fans? Probably not. Besides, being an honorary starter is not part of his golfing DNA.
Curtis Strange, a two-time U.S. Open champion who works for ESPN at the Masters, raised that prospect in a conference call Monday.
“These great players, superstars, always talked about they never want to be a ceremonial player or something to that effect, like it’s a negative,” Strange said. “I want to see him at Augusta for a long time in the future playing. He’s not going to play the way he wants to, but I think the people would love to see him.”
It’s too soon for that. Wait until next spring, when the “tradition unlike any other” includes tracking his private jet going to Augusta for a scouting trip to raise hopes and Woods holding a Tuesday news conference before the largest audience of media and playing a practice round with Fred Couples.
“I hope he gets back to where he can play. We don’t even know if he can play ever again. It’s going badly,” Strange said. “But especially here, where he can come back and be comfortable and just be around. The people can’t get enough of him. We can’t get enough of him.
“It would be sad that he wouldn’t come back here and play in the future.”
In the meantime, Rory McIlroy might have his best shot at finally winning the Masters green jacket to complete the career Grand Slam. Scottie Scheffler is going after his third green jacket in four years — no one has done that since Jack Nicklaus some 40 years ago.
Azaleas should be popping. The patrons will be roaring. The Masters goes on.
But there won’t be Tiger. No joke.
RACING NEWS
AUTO RACING: DENNY HAMLIN DOMINATES IN MARTINSVILLE AND NASCAR ROLLS INTO DARLINGTON.
NASCAR CUP SERIES
Goodyear 400
Site: Darlington, South Carolina.
Schedule: Saturday, practice, 12:35 p.m., qualifying, 1:40 p.m.; Sunday, race, 3 p.m. (FS1).
Track: Darlington Raceway.
Race distance: 293 laps, 400.24 miles.
Last year: Brad Keselowski broke his three-year losing streak while keeping Ty Gibbs at bay in the final laps for the win.
Last race: Denny Hamlin ended a 10-year winless streak in Martinsville, holding off teammate Christopher Bell with a dominating performance. The Joe Gibbs Racing star took the lead early on from Chase Elliott and never looked back, leading a race-high 274 of the final laps.
Next race: April 13, Bristol, Tennessee.
Online: http://www.nascar.com
NASCAR XFINITY SERIES
Sport Clips Haircuts VFW Help a Hero 200
Site: Darlington, South Carolina.
Schedule: Saturday, practice, 10:05 a.m., qualifying, 11:10 a.m., race, 3:30 p.m. (CW).
Track: Darlington Raceway.
Race distance: 147 laps, 200.8 miles.
Last year: Justin Allgaier led 119 of 147 laps, using a dominating performance to earn him his first victory of the season and third career win at Darlington.
Last race: Austin Hill navigated through the late-race chaos in a shocking overtime finish that secured him the win in Martinsville.
Next race: April 12, Bristol, Tennessee.
Online: http://www.nascar.com
NASCAR CRAFTSMAN TRUCK SERIES
Last race: Overcoming a potentially race-ending spinout, Kyle Larson crept his way to the front in the final 10 laps to secure the victory.
Next race: April 11, Bristol, Tennessee.
Online: http://www.nascar.com
FORMULA ONE
Lenovo Japanese Grand Prix 2025
Site: Suzuka, Japan.
Schedule: Thursday, practice, 10:25 p.m.; Friday, practice, 1:55 a.m., practice, 10:25 p.m.; Saturday, qualifying, 1:55 a.m.; Sunday, race, 12:55 a.m. (ESPN).
Track: Suzuka Circuit.
Race distance: 53 laps, 191 miles.
Last year: Max Verstappen held off the field after taking immediate control in a race that earned him his 57th career victory and third of the season.
Last race: Oscar Piastri captured his third career win ahead of teammate Lando Norris in Shanghai, securing McLaren a landmark 50 one-two placings.
Next race: April 13, Sakhir, Bahrain.
Online: http://www.formula1.com
INDYCAR
Last race: Alex Palou stays perfect going 2-for-2 for the season after passing pole sitter Pato O’Ward with 10 laps to go in Thermal.
Next race: April 13, Long Beach, California.
Online: http://www.indycar.com
NHRA DRAG RACING
Next race: April 13, Las Vegas.
Online: http://www.nhra.com
WORLD OF OUTLAWS
World of Outlaws Fireball 50
Site: Chillicothe, Ohio.
Track: Atomic Speedway.
World of Outlaws Jason Johnson Classic
Site: Colcord, Oklahoma.
Track: Arrowhead Speedway.
Next events: April 10-12, Farmer City, Illinois, Pevely, Missouri.
Online: http://worldofoutlaws.com
TOP INDIANA HEADLINES
INDIANA BOYS BASKETBALL
FUTURES GAME 2025 ROSTERS
NORTH
JACE TONAGEL, OAK HILL, SO
BRODY BAKER, MCCUTCHEON, SO
TRELL HOGUE, FORT WAYNE SNIDER, SO
CHASE DEVINE, BREMEN, SO
GRIFFIN OTT-LARGE, LAPORTE, SO
ELIJAH KING, SOUTH BEND ST. JOSEPH, SO
JAHARI MILLER, PIKE, SO
CHARLES HARDIMAN, MERRILLVILLE, FR
AMARIAN LEGGETT, BLACKFORD, FR
CALEB COOLMAN, PENN, FR
MACK WELKER, HOMESTEAD, SO
ISAIAH HILL, PIKE, SO
SOUTH
COOPER ZACHARY, FISHERS, SO
BRANDON HUNTER, SILVER CREEK, SO
JASON GARDNER JR., FISHERS, SO
KENDRICK MARTIN, LIBERTY CHRISTIAN
DERRICK CROSS JR., BLOOMINGTON NORTH, SO
HARPER BAKER-LANDS, PLAINFIELD, SO
JAKE GRISSOM, GUERIN CATHOLIC, SO
J.J. CRAIG, WARREN CENTRAL, SO
NOAH WASHINGTON, NEW ALBANY, FR
JAYLAN MITCHELL, EVANSVILLE REITZ, SO
DEVIN BOLDEN, CARDINAL RITTER, SO
ISHMAEL KITEKA, CLOVERDALE, FR
INDIANA TRASNFER PORTAL (PLAYERS WITH INDIANA TIES)
LUKE ALMODOVAR, SO., ST. FRANCIS, IND./NAIA (NOBLESVILLE): 20.0 PPG, 3.6 RPG, 1.0 APG
LANDEN BABUSIAK, R-FR., STETSON (HANOVER CENTRAL/BOSCO INSTITUTE): 1.0 PPG, 1.5 RPG, 0.5 APG
REGGIE BASS, JR., LINDENWOOD (TECH): 12.2 PPG, 3.0 RPG, 2.7 APG
FLORY BIDUNGA, FR., KANSAS (KOKOMO): 5.9 PPG, 5.4 RPG
JALEN BLACKMON, SR., MIAMI, FLA. (MARION): 6.9 PPG, 1.2 RPG, 1.4 APG
VINCENT BRADY II, JR., MISSOURI STATE (CATHEDRAL): 13.5 PPG, 38% ON 3S
JAYDEN BREWER, JR., FIU (BEN DAVIS): 14.5 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 1.7 APG
XAVIER BOOKER, SO., MICHIGAN STATE (CATHEDRAL): 4.7 PPG, 2.2 RPG
KANON CATCHINGS, FR., BYU (OVERTIME ELITE/BROWNSBURG): 7.2 PPG, 2.2 RPG
MYLES COLVIN, SO., PURDUE (HERITAGE CHRISTIAN): 5.4 PPG, 2.6 RPG, 0.5 APG
TAYSHAWN COMER, JR., EVANSVILLE (CATHEDRAL): 16.2 PPG, 3.7 RPG, 4.1 APG
RYAN CONWELL, JR., XAVIER (PIKE): 16.5 PPG, 2.7 RPG, 2.5 APG
DAJOHN CRAIG, SO., OREGON (LAWRENCE CENTRAL): 1.9 PPG, 0.7 RPG, 0.5 APG
AJ DANCLER, SO., LE MOYNE (SOUTHPORT): 15.1 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 3.4 APG
KORON DAVIS, JR., LAFAYETTE (GARY BOWMAN): 8.7 PPG, 1.7 RPG, 0.4 APG
MICAH DAVIS, FR., EASTERN KENTUCKY (FRANKLIN): 0.8 PPG, 0.3 RPG, 0.3 APG — COMMITTED TO IU INDY
TAE DAVIS, JR., NOTRE DAME (WARREN CENTRAL): 15.1 PPG, 5.3 RPG, 1.8 APG
OWEN DEASE, JR., TEXAS A&M-CORPUS CHRISTI (EVANSVILLE REITZ): 7.5 PPG, 3.4 RPG, 1.3 APG
KEATON DUKES, JR., PURDUE FORT WAYNE (WAWASEE): 1.5 PPG, 0.3 RPG
JAXON EDWARDS, JR., ST. BONAVENTURE (CATHEDRAL): 3.0 PPG, 2.6 RPG, 0.5 APG
MICHAEL ELEY, JR., TULANE (VERITAS PREP – FROM FORT WAYNE): 8.0 PPG, 2.9 RPG, 0.8 APG
GUS ETCHISON, SR., MARIAN/NAIA (HAMILTON HEIGHTS): 19.8 PPG, 3.3 RPG
MAXIMUS GIZZI, SR., HUNTINGTON/NAIA (NEW PALESTINE): 10.6 PPG, 3.2 RPG, 3.7 APG
LANDIN HACKER, JR., BELLARMINE (CENTER GROVE): 5.5 PPG, 1.4 RPG, 0.9 APG
CAMERON HAFFNER, JR., EVANSVILLE (WESTFIELD): 12.7 PPG, 3.6 RPG, 1.4 APG
BRIT HARRIS, JR., SC UPSTATE (MICHIGAN CITY MARQUETTE/BOSCO INSTITUTE): 11.6 PPG, 2.6 RPG, 2.7 APG
NICK HITTLE, SR., SOUTHERN INDIANA (CULVER ACADEMY): 4.5 PPG, 2.9 RPG, 0.5 APG
CURT HOPF, JR., BELLARMINE (BARR-REEVE): 4.1 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 0.8 APG
J.R. KONIECZNY, JR., NOTRE DAME (SOUTH BEND ST. JOSEPH): 4.3 PPG, 2.8 RPG, 0.8 APG
JALEN JACKSON, JR., PURDUE FORT WAYNE (FW NORTHROP): 19.2 PPG, 4.4 RPG, 3.1 APG
SHILO JACKSON, JR., TEXAS A&M-CORPUS CHRISTI (NORTH CENTRAL): 5.4 PPG, 3.3 RPG, 0.4 APG
KAMARI JONES, FR., WESTERN CAROLINA (LAWRENCE CENTRAL): 3.0 PPG, 0.8 RPG, 0.3 APG
RASHEED JONES, SO., COASTAL CAROLINA (MARION): 11.6 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 2.1 APG
JEFFREY ‘JT’ LANGSTON JR., FR., SOUTHERN UTAH (SAN GABRIEL ACADEMY – FROM FORT WAYNE): 6.4 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 0.6 APG
JORDAN LOMAX, FR., PURDUE FORT WAYNE (BROWNSBURG): N/A
AJ LUX, FR., BELLARMINE (CROWN POINT): 3.3 PPG, 2.2 RPG, 0.5 APG
DAVID MERIWETHER, EAST TENNESSEE STATE (LAWRENCE NORTH): 1.3 PPG, 2.0 RPG
TYTAN NEWTON, R-SO., MORGAN STATE (RICHMOND): 1.1 PPG, 1.0 RPG, 0.3 APG
MASON NICHOLSON, R-JR., JACKSONVILLE STATE (GARY WEST SIDE): 7.5 PPG, 7.4 RPG
OKECHUKWU OKEKE, SR., FIU (EAST CHICAGO CENTRAL): 4.7 PPG, 3.3 RPG, 0.1 APG
NIJEL PACK, GR., MIAMI (LAWRENCE CENTRAL): 14.2 PPG, 3.1 RPG, 3.2 APG
QUIMARI PETERSON, SR., EAST TENNESSEE STATE (GARY WEST SIDE): 19.5 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 3.7 APG
KIYRON POWELL, JR., WESTERN ILLINOIS (EVANSVILLE BOSSE): 2.5 PPG, 2.2 RPG, 0.2 APG
ZACH REED, R-SO., BELLARMINE (BREBEUF JESUIT): 3.5 PPG, 1.0 RPG, 0.3 APG
JAQUALON ‘JQ’ ROBERTS, SO., VANDERBILT (BLOOMINGTON NORTH): 1.0 PPG, 0.8 RPG
RON RUTLAND III, FR., IU INDY (CRISPUS ATTUCKS): 2.2 PPG, 0.5 RPG, 0.6 APG
TYLER SCHMIDT, SR., VALPARAISO (VICTORY CHRISTIAN): 10.1 PPG, 3.3 RPG, 1.6 APG
SHERIDAN SHARP, SO., SOUTHERN ILLINOIS (BEN DAVIS): 4.5 PPG, 1.5 RPG, 2.3 APG
TYLER SHIRLEY, SR., FLORIDA A&M (PEBBLEBROOK GA., FROM GARY): 3.1 PPG, 2.6 RPG, 0.6 APG
BILLY SMITH, JR., BELLARMINE (BREBEUF JESUIT): 14.0 PPG, 2.8 RPG, 2.6 APG
ISAIAH STAFFORD, SR., VALPARAISO (CRISPUS ATTUCKS): 16.9 PPG, 3.7 RPG, 2.1 APG
JAHNI SUMMERS, SO., INDIANA STATE (EVANSVILLE HARRISON): 5.7 PPG, 1.9 RPG, 0.6 APG
TUCKER TORNATTA, FR., UINDY (EVANSVILLE MEMORIAL): 7.6 PPG, 5.8 RPG
CAYDEN VASKO, SO., CENTRAL MICHIGAN (LOWELL/BOSCO INSTITUTE): 7.4 PPG, 5.0 RPG, 2.6 APG
JALEN WASHINGTON, JR., NORTH CAROLINA (GARY WEST SIDE): 5.7 PPG, 4.2 RPG, 0.5 APG
ASHTON WILLIAMSON, FR., FIU (GARY 21ST CENTURY): 7.3 PPG, 2.5 RPG, 2.7 APG
HAROLD WOODS, JR., NORTHEASTERN (HAMMOND): 11.8 PPG, 7.2 RPG, 2.4 APG
INDIANA PACERS
GAME PREVIEW: PACERS VS HORNETS
After a mad finish to March, the Indiana Pacers aim to fortify their position in the Eastern Conference over the final two weeks of the 2024-2025 regular season.
With seven games left on Indiana’s calendar, the Pacers (44-31) continue a three-game homestand on Wednesday when they host the Charlotte Hornets (19-56) at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
The Pacers need as many wins as possible over the next 10 days to ensure home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs.
Indiana ranked fourth in the Eastern Conference standings after Monday’s slate of games, as the Pacers owned a two-and-a-half game lead over the fifth-place Detroit Pistons (42-33) and trailed the third-place New York Knicks by four games. While the three and four seeds get home-court advantage, the fifth seed does not.
The Pacers finished 10-6 in March, but have won seven of their last nine games overall.
So far this season, the Pacers own a 24-11 home record and the Hornets are 7-30 on the road.
Indiana enters Wednesday night’s matchup coming off a thrilling 111-109 win on Monday night over the Sacramento Kings (36-40).
After trailing for the entire second half, the Pacers mustered a 23-8 run over an eight-minute stretch to retake the lead before hitting all eight of their free throws in the final 27 seconds to secure the win.
Aaron Nesmith continued his recent streak of hot play by posting 24 points, Tyrese Haliburton had 18 points and 11 assists, and Obi Toppin supplied 19 points and seven rebounds off the bench for the Pacers.
Over Indiana’s last nine games, Nesmith and Toppin have elevated their play, both averaging 15 points and four rebounds per game, while Haliburton has also put up strong numbers (19.2 points, 10.7 assists nightly). Second-year wing Jarace Walker has also played well lately, scoring in double figures in each of his last three games.
The Blue & Gold hope that sixth-man Bennedict Mathurin (sore left calf) and starting center Myles Turner (illness) both return against the Hornets after sitting out against the Kings.
While the Hornets have struggled as a whole this season, they’re 2-0 against the Pacers and have won three straight versus the Blue & Gold dating back to last season.
Charlotte will look different next time out, however, as injuries have plagued the Hornets for months.
Last Friday, the Hornets announced starting point guard LaMelo Ball will not play again this spring due to having procedures on a wrist and ankle. Ball joined the likes of Brandon Miller, Grant Williams, and Tre Mann on IR, and the Hornets are also managing other day-to-day injuries on their team.
The Hornets snapped a five-game losing streak on Monday when they posted a 110-106 win over the Utah Jazz (16-60).
Six players scored in double figures for the Hornets in the victory, led by 26 points and 10 rebounds by Miles Bridges and 18 points and 13 boards from Mark Williams. Bridges has played well against the Pacers in recent years, averaging 18.8 points, 6.0 rebounds and 3.0 assists in his last five games against the Blue & Gold.
After hosting Charlotte, Indiana will conclude its three-game homestand against the Utah Jazz on Friday. The Pacers beat the Jazz 112-111 on Feb. 3.
Projected Starters
Pacers: G – Tyrese Haliburton, G – Andrew Nembhard, F – Aaron Nesmith, F – Pascal Siakam, C – Thomas Bryant
Hornets: G – KJ Simpson, G – Seth Curry, F – Josh Green, F – Miles Bridges, C – Mark Williams
Injury Report
Pacers: Bennedict Mathurin – TBA (sore left calf), Myles Turner – TBA (illness), Isaiah Jackson – out (torn right Achilles tendon).
Hornets: Josh Okogie – questionable (left hamstring injury management), LaMelo Ball – out (right ankle impingement), Tre Mann – out (herinated disc), Brandon Miller – out (right wrist ligament repair), Grant Williams – out (right ACL repair)
Last Meeting
Dec. 8, 2024: Charlotte snapped an eight-game losing streak by posting a 113-109 win over the Pacers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
Brandon Miller hit two free throws in the final seconds en route to his team-high 26 points while Vasa Micic added 18 points and nine assists and Cody Martin had 14 points and rebounds for the visitors.
T.J. McConnell scored a career-high 30 points for the Pacers in the loss and Jarace Walker totaled 15 points.
Indiana’s starting unit struggled in the game, as Tyrese Haliburton logged nine points and eight assists, Pascal Siakam had nine points and 11 rebounds, and Myles Turner and Andrew Nembhard scored 10 points each.
Both teams shot 51 percent in the game, but the Hornets made 14 3-pointers to the Pacers’ 12 treys. The Hornets also finished 19-for-26 on free throws while the Pacers made 13-of-15.
The Hornets had 24 turnovers and the Pacers gave the ball away 17 times.
Noteworthy
Pacers guard T.J. McConnell will play in his 700th career regular season NBA game on Wednesday. McConnell is in his sixth season with the Pacers after spending his first four seasons in Philadelphia.
Tyrese Haliburton is seven assists away from passing Roger Brown (2,214 assists) for seventh place in Pacers franchise history for career assists.
Indiana could officially clinch a playoff spot as early as Tuesday if the Portland Trail Blazers beat the Atlanta Hawks. If that doesn’t happen, the Pacers could clinch on Wednesday by beating the Hornets.
Broadcast Information (TV and Radio Listings >>)
FanDuel Sports Network – Chris Denari (play-by-play), Quinn Buckner (analyst), Jeremiah Johnson (sideline reporter/host)
Radio: 93.5/107.5 The Fan – Mark Boyle (play-by-play), Eddie Gill (analyst), Pat Boylan (sideline reporter/host)
INDIANAPOLIS INDIANS
TWO-RUN NINTH HANDS INDIANS LOSS IN HOME OPENER
INDIANAPOLIS – The Iowa Cubs utilized a two-run top of the ninth inning to break up a shutout bid and defeat the Indianapolis Indians on Opening Night at Victory Field on Tuesday, 2-1.
With Iowa (2-1) down 1-0 in its final offensive half inning, Chase Strumpf drew a bases-loaded walk against Eddy Yean (L, 0-1) to knot the game with one out. A double play ball to shortstop Liover Peguero got one out at second base before Greg Allen induced a rundown on the left side of the infield, allowing the go-ahead run to score.
Indianapolis (0-2) scored its lone run of the contest in the third inning when a one-out walk to Nick Yorke and subsequent single by Henry Davis set up runners at the corners, with Yorke coming around to score on a groundout.
Mike Burrows took the mound for Indianapolis to start and tossed 3.2 shutout innings with no walks and four strikeouts. Isaac Mattson, Chase Shugart, Kyle Nicolas and Hunter Stratton then held the shutout bid through the eighth inning.
Seven of the nine batters in Indy’s lineup recorded one hit in the contest, with Bryce Johnson’s two-bagger in the second inning coming as the lone extra-base hit. Six Indians batters – including each of the top four positions in the lineup – walked once.
The six-game series between Indianapolis and Iowa continues on Wednesday night at 6:35 PM ET. RHP Bubba Chandler (0-0, -.–) will take the mound for the Indians against RHP Caleb Kilian (0-0, -.–). Chandler is currently rated as Pittsburgh’s No. 1 prospect and the No. 15 prospect in MiLB according to MLB Pipeline, and the game will be broadcast as MiLB’s Free Game of the Day.
RIGHT-HANDED PITCHER THOMAS HARRINGTON SELECTED BY PITTSBURGH
INDIANAPOLIS – The Pittsburgh Pirates today selected the contract of right-handed pitcher Thomas Harrington, their No. 3 prospect and Minor League Baseball’s No. 78 farmhand according to MLB Pipeline. He is set to make his major league debut tonight against the Tampa Bay Rays at 7:05 PM ET at George M. Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, Fla.
Harrington, 23, appeared in 22 games (21 starts) between Single-A Bradenton, Double-A Altoona and Indianapolis in 2024, going 7-3 with a 2.61 ERA (34er/117.1ip) and 115 strikeouts against just 19 walks. Upon his elevation to the Indians on Aug. 4, he made eight Triple-A starts and posted a 5-1 record, 3.33 ERA (17er/46.0ip) and 38 strikeouts. From his Triple-A debut through the end of the season, he ranked among International League qualifiers in WHIP (2nd, 0.93), wins (T-2nd), innings (6th) and batting average against (6th, .212).
His season was highlighted by earning July Eastern League Pitcher of the Month honors with Altoona, going 2-0 with a 0.70 ERA (2er/25.2ip), 32 strikeouts and 0.82 WHIP during that four-start stretch. He was later named International League Pitcher of the Week after tossing 7.0 shutout innings with the Indians on Aug. 17 vs. St. Paul.
Harrington was originally selected by the Pirates in the first round (36th overall) of the 2022 First Year Player Draft out of Campbell University (Buies Creek, N.C.).
INDY ELEVEN
FOSTER EARNS “TEAM OF THE WEEK” HONORS
(Apr. 1, 2025) Tampa, Fla. – Indy Eleven forward Maalique Foster has been named to the USL Championship “Team of the Week” for Week 4 of the regular season after he scored his 21st career USLC goal vs. Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC on Saturday.
Boys in Blue defender Aedan Stanley played a beautiful cross from the left side across the area to Foster on the right side of the box and Foster buried just inside the near post with his left foot to give his team a 1-0 lead in the 19th minute. In the match, Foster tied for a team-best three chances created and he added four shots, six crosses attempted, and 14 passes completed in the final third.
On the season, Foster leads Indy Eleven in chances created (5), he is second in fouls won (5), and third in shots (3) while playing 249 minutes and starting all three matches. The Portmore, Jamaica, native is tied for 26th in the USLC in chances created.
This marks the second time that the 28-year-old Foster has earned “Team of the Week” recognition as a member of the Boys in Blue, as he received that status after scoring his first Indy Eleven goal vs. El Paso Locomotive in Week 28 last season.
This is the third consecutive week that Indy Eleven is represented on the “Team of the Week”, with Jack Blake and Pat Hogan earning selection in Week 2, and Bruno Rendon getting the accolade for Week 3.
The Boys in Blue are home Saturday vs. North Carolina FC at 7 pm at Carroll Stadium in their “Kick for a Cause” game with partner Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Indiana. Single-game tickets for all matches are available via Ticketmaster. Season, Flex Plan, Group, and Hospitality tickets are available here. For questions, call (317) 685-1100 during business hours or email tickets@indyeleven.com.
INDY FUEL
FUEL WIN SHOOTOUT THRILLER OVER TOLEDO
FISHERS– The Fuel hosted the Toledo Walleye on Tuesday night in an effort to gain two points in the Central division standings and they did just that. After taking the Walleye to overtime, the Fuel won 3-2 in a four-round shootout.
1ST PERIOD
At 6:50, Indy’s Jesse Tucker took a hooking call to give Toledo the first power play of the game, but the Fuel killed it off.
After a lot of back and forth, with fifteen seconds left in the first period, Toledo struck first with a goal by Mitchell Lewandowski to make it 1-0.
Indy outshot Toledo 10-6 in the first period despite giving up the lone goal.
2ND PERIOD
At 4:19, Sam Craggs took a tripping penalty which put the Fuel on the power play for the first time.
They capitalized on it quickly with a power play goal at 6:01 by Jarrett Lee. Owen Robinson and Nick Grima had the assists on that goal.
Cole Gallant took a boarding penalty at 8:52, putting the Fuel back on the power play but Toledo killed it off.
At 11:37, Brandon Kruse was called for slashing. This put Indy on the power play once again but the penalty was killed off.
Jordan Martin took the Fuel’s first penalty of the period at 14:05, a high sticking minor.
The Walleye took advantage of their power play with a goal by Gallant to make it 2-1 in favor of Toledo.
Time expired soon after with Indy outshooting the Walleye 12-11 in the second, but being down 2-1.
3RD PERIOD
At 13:28, Toledo’s Matt Anderson sat for high sticking which resulted in a game-tying goal by Kevin Lynch just forty seconds into the power play. Robinson and Grima had the assists on that goal as well.
Both teams had a few good chances with the remaining time in regulation, but they each earned a point as the game headed to overtime.
OVERTIME
The Fuel held possession early in the seven-minute overtime period and took a lot of shots before the three-minute mark, but Jan Bednar in goal for Toledo stopped them all.
At 4:13, Bryan Lemos took a hooking penalty giving the Walleye an extra skater for two minutes, but the Fuel killed it off late in overtime.
Lemos headed back to the box with 32.7 seconds left, again for hooking. Gaudreau stood strong in net as Toledo dominated possession.
With 1.4 seconds left, things finally got chippy between these two teams as there was some pushing and shoving in the final face off before the shootout.
Brandon Hawkins scored first for Toledo but they did not score again in the shootout, while Lynch and Cam Hausinger scored in the third and fourth rounds to give Indy the 3-2 win.
INDIANA BASEBALL
ERRORS HURT HOOSIERS’ MIDWEEK OPPORTUNITY
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – It was a night to forget defensively for the Indiana Baseball team (15-14, 6-6 B1G) on Tuesday (April 1st) evening at Bart Kaufman Field. Two late defensive errors – part of five in total – helped lead to four unearned runs in the eighth inning of a 6-4 loss to No. 18 Louisville.
The Hoosiers led 4-2 heading into the eighth inning with veteran reliever Pete Haas (L, 1-2) cruising on the mound. A throwing error from sophomore catcher T.J. Schuyler allowed the Cardinals to trim the lead to just one. Haas induced a ground ball that should’ve ended the inning but freshman shortstop Cooper Malamazian threw wide of the bag. In the next at-bat, Haas left a pitch over the plate that was crushed by Louisville’s Eddie King Jr. for a go-ahead, two-run home run.
IU threatened in the bottom of the ninth but left the tying and go-ahead runs on base. Junior outfielder Devin Taylor struck out with two runners on before freshman first baseman Jake Hanley stranded the bases loaded on a game-ending strikeout. The Hoosiers didn’t score past the fourth inning for the second-straight game. IU’s four hits were the second fewest in a contest this year (1 – vs. Oregon State, Feb. 16).
After a tough loss on Saturday, IU’s bullpen responded in an impressive manner. The Hoosiers used seven pitchers to record 27 outs. The pitching staff only allowed six hits and two earned runs. Only one of Louisville’s hits – the eighth-inning home run – was for extra bases. Junior right-hander Aydan Decker-Petty tossed two scoreless frames in his best outing of the year.
A weekend series with Michigan State awaits this weekend at Bart Kaufman Field. Inclement weather in the area is fully expected to alter the three-game set in some fashion. Stay tuned to social media and iuhoosiers.com for potential updates to times and dates for IU’s series with the Spartans.
Scoring Recap
Top First
The visitors got an early run when Zion Rose reached on an error from the second baseman. Alex Alicea came around to score on the play.
Louisville 1, Indiana 0
Bottom Fourth
IU scored all four of its runs in the fourth inning. Devin Taylor and Korbyn Dickerson each scored on wild pitches. Joey Brenczewski pinch hit and drove in Jake Hanley to score from second base. With the bases loaded, Andrew Wiggins walked and scored a fourth run.
Indiana 4, Louisville 1
Top Sixth
Rose continued his damage for Louisville with a single into right field. He was thrown out trying to advance to second but he scored the runner from third.
Indiana 4, Louisville 2
Top Eighth
Louisville struck for four in the eighth inning to take the lead for good. Lucas Moore advanced to third on a double steal and came into score on a throwing error from IU’s catcher T.J. Schuyler. With a chance to end the inning, IU shortstop Cooper Malamazian made a throwing error to allow the tying run to score. Eddie King Jr. took advantage of the free out with a two-run blast off the scoreboard.
Louisville 6, Indiana 4
Top Hoosier Performers
#20 Dickerson, Korbyn
1-3, 2B, 2 BB
#55 Decker-Petty, Aydan
2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 K
#23 Brenczewski, Joey
1-3, 1 R
Inside the Box Score
• 13 different position players and seven pitchers appeared for the Hoosiers.
• IU’s pitching staff allowed just six hits and two earned runs.
• Freshman third baseman Will Moore had the only multi-hit game for IU.
• The Hoosier bullpen conceded one earned run in seven innings of work.
Notes to Know
• IU’s defense committed five errors in the defeat to Louisville – helping to lead to four unearned runs for Louisville. It’s the most errors made by the Hoosiers in a single game since May 8, 2021 (5 – vs. Nebraska).
• Redshirt sophomore right-handed pitcher Jacob Vogel made his longest appearance of the season after returning from injury last weekend. He recorded the final four outs of the game while allowing just one hit and striking out the final batter he saw. He’s gone 11-straight regular season outings – dating back to last year – without giving up a run.
• Senior left-handed pitcher Ryan Kraft made his 72nd career appearance for IU on Tuesday evening. He’s already seventh in appearances in program history and needs just four more outings to move alone into the top five in IU history. He’s now just six strikeouts away from the top-25 on the IU all-time list.
Up Next
IU welcomes Michigan State to town this weekend for a three-game Big Ten set. All three games will be streamed on B1G+ and can also be heard on the Indiana Sports Radio Network via IUHoosiers.com/Audio.
IU WOMEN’S BASKETBALL TRASNFER PORTAL
LEXUS BARGESSER, JR., GUARD
SHARNECCE CURRIE-JELKS, JR., FORWARD
YARDEN GARZON, JR., GUARD
JULIANNA LAMENDOLA, SO., GUARD
LILLY MEISTER, JR., FORWARD
HENNA SANDVIK, JR., GUARD
PLAYERS COMMITTED TO INDIANA
NONE AT THIS TIME
PURDUE BASEBALL
BOILERMAKERS FALL IN HOMESTAND FINALE
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – The finale of Purdue Baseball’s season-long 12-game homestand at Alexander Field – won by Northern Illinois 2-1 Tuesday – featured the lowest-scoring contest at the ballpark since the final day of the 2021 campaign.
The Boilermakers (20-8) went 0-for-8 with runners in scoring position while stranding 10 runners on base. They were held to fewer than three runs for the first time this season and limited to a single tally for the first time since a home loss on March 15 of last season.
The last game at Alexander to feature a combined three runs or fewer was Minnesota’s 2-1 win in game 1 of a doubleheader on May 30, 2021.
All three runs Tuesday were scored on extra-base hits – a pair of solo home runs and NIU’s RBI double in the seventh inning that plated a runner from first base. JP Gauthier delivered both big hits for the Huskies (10-19), homering to lead off the second inning and driving in both runs that allowed the visitors to hold the lead for the final eight innings.
Logan Sutter connected for his team-leading ninth home run for Purdue, a towering two-out blast in the bottom of the seventh that carried into the bullpen beyond the left field wall.
Carter Cox and Danny Cihocki teamed up to strike out the next five Purdue batters, including Cihocki fanning the Boilers’ 6-7-8 hitters in order in the eighth inning as part of a six-out save.
Avery Moore’s pinch-hit single put the tying run on base with one out in the bottom of the ninth, but the game ended moments later on a 4-6-3 double play.
Maclane Finley retired the final 12 batters he faced and 15 of 18 overall, throwing only 49 pitches over five innings of one-run ball. He struck out four while putting together one of Purdue’s finest outings on the mound during the 12-game homestand. It was his first start as a Boilermaker.
Lukas Cook singled and doubled in his first two at-bats, giving him hits in six consecutive at-bats and extending a 12-for-16 hot streak that started Friday vs. UCLA. He raised his Big Ten-leading batting average to .465 and extended his on-base streak to seven consecutive games.
Purdue left the bases loaded in the fifth inning and two runners on base in the second, third and sixth innings. The Boilermakers also hit into multiple ground ball double plays for the third straight game (nine total during that stretch). For the season, Purdue has grounded into 21 double plays, 15 coming in the last nine games.
Purdue lost in 2-1 fashion for the first time since a March 2023 series-opening loss to Akron in Holly Springs, N.C. The Boilermakers finished their homestand with a 6-6 record and the scoring margin was even at 86 runs apiece. Their eight-game win streak in midweek play also came to an end Tuesday.
Purdue returns to action Friday when it opens a three-game series at Washington in the program’s first-ever trip to Seattle. First pitch is slated for 10 p.m. ET.
PURDUE WOMEN’S GOLF
WOMEN’S GOLF WINS COACH MO CLASSIC; KIEL EARNS MEDALIST HONORS
ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. – Led by medalist Natasha Kiel, who earned her third individual victory of the season, Purdue Women’s Golf captured the Coach Mo Classic at St. Johns Golf and Country Club. The Boilermakers (+13) led wire-to-wire all three rounds, besting 15 other teams and claiming a four-shot victory over runner-up Charleston (+17).
The victory, Purdue’s second of the year, marks the first time the Boilermakers have won multiple tournaments in consecutive seasons since a six-year stretch from the fall of 2005 to the spring of 2011. The Boilermakers also won for the fifth time under Zack Byrd, who is in his third season as head coach.
The Boilermakers paced the field in birdies (38), par-3 scoring (+3) and par-4 scoring (+27) as well as eagles (2) thanks to a pair of aces from Kiel and Samantha Brown on the first day of tournament play.
Following Charleston, Purdue was 16 shots clear of third-place Charlotte (+29). Western Kentucky and Daytona State tied for fourth at 34-over to round out the tournament’s Top 5.
Kiel, the No. 50 ranked player in the country, became just the fourth Boilermaker in program history to win three times in a single season, joining Maria Hernandez (6; 2008-09), Paula Reto (4; 2012-13) and Aurora Kan (3; 2013-14). The New Hope, Pennsylvania, native started the season with a victory at the Boilermaker Classic before sharing medalist honors at the White Sands Bahamas Invitational to end the fall.
Kiel (-3) finished one shot ahead of Western Kentucky’s Sydney Hackett, moving to 3-under after a clutch birdie at the par-3 17th, the same hole she aced during Monday’s first round. Similar to the team, she led the field in par-3 scoring (-3) and par-4 scoring (-1), the only golfer in the 90-player field to play the par 4s under par throughout the tournament. Kiel’s 11 birdies over 54 holes ranked second in the field to go along with her opening round hole-in-one.
Momo Sugiyama (+5) tied for eighth to crack the Top 10 for the fourth time this season and the 12th time in her career.
Joining Kiel and Sugiyama in the Top 10 was fellow senior Jocelyn Bruch, who tied for 10th at 6-over. Bruch’s 73 (+1) was Purdue’s best score in the final round. She made 11 birdies over three rounds to match Kiel and rank second in the field.
Brown (+8) tied for 16th, the best finish for the freshman Boilermaker this year. Classmates Michaela Headlee (+10) and Lauren Timpf (+11) placed 22nd and 24th, respectively, while competing as individuals.
Looking to keep the momentum going from their victory, the Boilermakers return home this weekend. Serving as the final tune-up before the Big Ten Championships, Purdue welcomes teams back to West Lafayette for the Boilermaker Spring Classic. The tournament will take place on the Ackerman-Allen course at the Birck Boilermaker Golf Complex (April 6-7).
BOILERMAKERS
1. Natasha Kiel: 68-71-74—213 (-3)
T8. Momo Sugiyama: 72-72-77—221 (+5)
T10. Jocelyn Bruch: 70-79-73—222 (+6)
T16. Samantha Brown: 75-73-76—224 (+8)
T65. Jasmine Kahler: 78-76-81—235 (+19)
*T22. Michaela Headlee: 70-80-76—226 (+10)
*T24. Lauren Timpf: 76-73-78—227 (+11)
*Competing as an individual
TEAM LEADERBOARD
1. Purdue: 285-292-300—877 (+13)
2. Charleston: 295-290-296—881 (+17)
3. Charlotte: 298-302-293—893 (+29)
T4. Dayton State: 301-297-300—898 (+34)
T4. Western Kentucky: 300-302-296—898 (+34)
6. Florida Gulf Coast: 299-304-300—903 (+39)
T7. FIU: 298-308-300—906 (+42)
T7. Minnesota: 302-305-299—906 (+42)
9. St. Thomas: 308-304-295—907 (+43)
10. Furman: 305-308-296—909 (+45)
11. Lipscomb: 309-305-297—911 (+47)
12. North Florida: 307-313-295—915 (+51)
13. UTSA: 306-311-301—918 (+54)
14. Toledo: 308-319-304—931 (+67)
15. Belmont: 306-324-313—943 (+79)
16. Southern Illinois: 320-321-314—955 (+91)
PURDUE MEN’S BASKETBALL TRANSFER PORTAL
WILL BERG, R-SO., CENTER
MYLES COLVIN, SO., GUARD
BRIAN WADDELL, R-JR., GUARD
PLAYERS COMMITED TO PURDUE
OSCAR CLUFF, SR., CENTER
NOTRE DAME BASEBALL
NINTH-INNING COMEBACK STOPPED SHORT FOR IRISH
SOUTH BEND, Ind. – A ninth-inning comeback came up just short in a 5-4 setback for the Notre Dame baseball team against Western Michigan on Tuesday evening.
Kellan Klosterman used a strikeout looking in the top of the first and punched out back-to-back batters with strikeouts in the second to take control early on the mound against the Broncos. A trio of grounders fielded cleanly by Estevan Moreno and Noah Coy in the third continued to keep Western Michigan at bay.
The visiting Broncos used a pair of hits in the top of the fourth inning to score the first run of the game. The Irish came right back in the bottom half of the fourth. Bino Watters laced a double over the left fielder’s head, and Estevan Moreno added a double of his own off the left field wall two batters later to knot the game at 1-1.
Western Michigan plated two runs in the top of the fifth with a hit batter, a walk, and a pair of hits for a 3-1 lead. Nick DeMarco was hit by a pitch to start the bottom of the fifth, but the Irish were unable to capitalize on the lead-off runner. Tobey McDonough entered the game in the top of the sixth and recorded back-to-back outs on just three pitches to shut down the Broncos. Western Michigan put a pair of runners on base in the top of the seventh, and the Irish defense again shut the door. McDonough induced a pop up on a sacrifice bunt attempt before back-to-back fly balls were caught in left field by Jayce Lee.
The Irish put a runner on base in both the sixth and seventh but were unable to break through into the scoring column. The Broncos pushed two runs across home in the top of the eighth for a 5-1 lead late. Notre Dame stayed within striking distance as the defense forced Western Michigan into stranding the bases loaded while keeping the Broncos off the scoreboard late.
The Irish nearly mounted the ninth-inning comeback. Davis Johnson was hit by a pitch to begin the inning, and Connor Hincks hit a pinch-hit single to put runners on the corners with one out. Nick DeMarco worked a full count before drawing a walk, and Carson Tinney followed up with a full-count walk in a pinch hitting appearance to drive in Johnson as the momentum swayed toward the home dugout. Jared Zimbardo drew the third-consecutive full-count walk for the Irish as Hincks scored to pull within 5-3. Bino Watters reached on an error with bases loaded as DeMarco scored, and the Irish were within one with bases loaded and just one out. The comeback was stopped there for Notre Dame, however, as a running lane interference call was made by the umpire, which resulted in a game-ending double play.
Kellan Klosterman went 3.0 hitless innings on the mound and struck out three for the Irish after getting the midweek start. Chase Van Ameyde shouldered the loss in 1.2 innings with three strikeouts. Xavier Hirsch and Tobey McDonough teamed up for 2.1 shutout innings. Ricky Reeth struck out a pair in a complete inning of work, and Sammy Cooper went 1.0 with a strikeout.
Bino Watters went 2-for-5 with a double, an RBI, and a run. Estevan Moreno added a double and an RBI. Connor Hincks had a hit and scored a run, and Jared Zimbardo tallied a hit and drove in one. Jayce Lee collected a hit for the Irish. Davis Johnson and Nick DeMarco each scored once, and Carson Tinney had an RBI.
The Irish (14-12) have postponed their Wednesday matchup against Eastern Michigan due to inclement weather in the forecast. The team now looks to their home ACC series against Virginia Tech, which begins on Friday with a 4:30 p.m. game. The Irish will also celebrate Teacher Appreciation on Friday and Somos ND throughout the weekend series. Admission is free for all home regular season Notre Dame baseball contests.
BUTLER BASEBALL
EASTERN ILLINOIS TOPS BUTLER 14-8
The Butler Baseball team moved to 10-18 on the season after falling to Eastern Illinois 14-8 on Tuesday afternoon. The Panthers offense was the story of the game as they scored 14 runs on 14 hits. Their offense pounced on the Dawgs early, scoring six runs in the first two innings. They matched Butlers two runs in the first and scored four more in the 2nd.
For the Bulldog offense, in the first Harry Carr delivered a two-run double down the left field line scoring Danny Barbero and Jack Moroknek.
The offense then went scoreless until the 7th, where the Dawgs plated four runs. Moroknek picked up an RBI double that scored AJ Solomon.
Later in the inning, Jack Bello punched a single the other way scoring Moroknek and Ryan Drumm on the play. Bello then came around to score on a fielder’s choice. The Bulldogs were able to tack on two more in the 9th bringing the final to 14-8.
On the other side of the ball, the Butler pitching staff used eight arms. Justin Hornschemeier, Espn Simpson, and Brett Sherrard all tossed a scoreless inning. For the Panthers offense, they were able to capitalize on two bulldog errors, pushing across nine unearned runs.
The Dawgs will be back in action this weekend. They will travel to Xavier for their first conference series of the season.
BUTLER MEN’S GOLF
BULLDOGS CLAIM BENBOW SPRING INVITATIONAL TITLE BEHIND MEDALIST ZUROVAC
Butler’s Leo Zurovac climbed 13 spots on the leaderboard Tuesday to take medalist honors at the Don Benbow Butler Spring Invitational. Four Bulldogs among the Top 10 finishers also helped the Bulldogs post a convincing team win.
The 54-hole event concluded with a final 18 holes Tuesday at Highland Country Club in Indianapolis.
Zurovac shot a five-under 65 Tuesday, capitalizing on six birdies against only one bogey. He finished the event at four-under 206, which was one shot better than a quartet of runners-up. Zurovac’s teammate Derek Tabor was among that group at 207 (-3).
After an opening-round 73 Monday, Zurovac posted scores of 68 and 65 over his final 36 holes. His Tuesday 65 tied teammate Will Horne for the best round of the event with Horne’s 65 coming in Monday’s second round.
Tabor’s consistent play over the course of the two days saw him turn in scorecards of 70, 68 and 69. He and Zurovac were joined in the Top 10 by Horne (208; -2) and Logan Sutto (209; -1), who tied for sixth and ninth, respectively. Horne held the individual lead after the opening 36 holes.
The Bulldogs took control of the tournament Monday afternoon with a second-round 273 (-7). Butler entered the final round with a nine-shot advantage and extended that to 11 with a Tuesday 275 (-5). Butler finished the 54 holes at 829 (-11). BIG EAST rival DePaul finished second at even-par 840. Loyola Chicago was third at 852 (+12). There are 13 teams in the field.
THE BULLDOGS:
1) Leo Zurovac, 73-68-65—206 (-4)
T3) Derek Tabor, 70-68-69—207 (-3)
T6) Will Horne, 70-65-73—208 (-2)
T9) Logan Sutto, 69-72-68—209 (-1)
T52) Luke Kruger (playing as an individual), 74-69-76—219 (+9)
T68) Johnny Creamean, 72-76-74—222 (+12)
T89) Henry Quinn (playing as an individual), 76-79-73—228 (+18)
The tournament is named in honor of the late Don Benbow, who was inducted into the Butler Athletics Hall of Fame for his contributions as a standout football student-athlete, golf and football coach, and his time at Butler as an athletics administrator.
The Bulldogs are back in action this weekend, traveling to Bloomington, Ind., for the Hoosier Collegiate hosted by Indiana University. Play at the Pfau Course is scheduled for Saturday and Sunday.
BUTLER SOFTBALL
BULLDOG SOFTBALL FALLS TO SYCAMORES
INDIANAPOLIS – The Butler softball team dropped a midweek contest to Indiana State by the final score of 8-2. Both the Sycamores (11-22, 5-3 (The Valley) and the Bulldogs (20-12, 9-3 BIG EAST) scored a pair of runs in the first inning, but ISU added three in the second and three in the sixth of the seven-inning affair.
Butler runs came after Cate Lehner advanced to third base and Ella White advanced to second. Paige Dorsett hit a single to right center field that allowed both teammates to cross home plate.
Kayla Noerr (0-2) started in the circle and took the loss. In 5.0 innings, six unearned runs came across. She allowed seven hits and one walk with one strikeout. Rylyn Dyer (2R, 3H, 0ER, 1BB, 1K) and Katie Petran (1H) each pitched one inning in relief.
Bulldog Bits
Cate Lehner’s stolen base was her 26th this season and the 69th of her career.
Ella White’s stolen base was her fourth this season and the 12th of her career.
Up Next
Butler travels to UConn for a three-game BIG EAST series from Friday, Apr. 4, through Sunday, Apr. 6.
BUTLER MEN’S BASKETBALL
BUTLER SET TO FACE BOISE STATE IN COLLEGE BASKETBALL CROWN QUARTERFINALS
Butler and Boise State will meet in the quarterfinals of the inaugural College Basketball Crown – a single-elimination, 16-team tournament in Las Vegas; the event is founded by AEG and FOX Sports. Butler enters the match-up following an 86-84 win over Utah in the opening round; Boise State defeated George Washington in Monday play.
Butler (15-19) vs. Boise State (25-10)
College Basketball Crown Quarterfinals
Wednesday, April 2 • 7PM ET / 4PM PT
MGM Grand Garden Arena • Las Vegas
TV: FS1 • Gus Johnson, Jim Jackson & Allison Williams
Butler Basketball Live (Audio) with @MarkMinner & Nick Gardner (@n_gardner): Varsity Network App & TuneIn
• Butler and Boise State have only played once previously; Butler posted a 70-56 win last season in Orlando as part of the 2023 ESPN Events Invitational.
• Pierre Brooks II scored 25 points (including 20 in the second half) in last year’s win over Boise State. Butler’s defense limited Boise State to only 32-percent shooting; Tyson Degenhart was the only Bronco in double figures with 12 points.
• Brooks led the way with 22 points in Monday’s win over Utah. He scored 17 points in the second half including the game-winner with three seconds remaining.
• Butler overcame an 11-point second half deficit in the win over Utah. It marked the first game this season that Butler has won after trailing at the half (now 1-13).
• Butler is 10-0 this season when scoring 80 or more points.
• Butler was without All-BIG EAST forward Jahmyl Telfort in Monday’s win over Utah; he will not play in the College Basketball Crown as he turns his attention to preparing for his upcoming professional career.
• Freshman Evan Haywood made the first start of his Butler career against Utah. He scored nine points on three first-half three-pointers.
• Kolby King (12), Andre Screen (10) and Landon Moore (7) combined for 29 bench points for Butler in the win over Utah. The 29 bench points was the second-best output of the season for Butler, which utilized 31 points from reserves in the Nov. 29 win over Mississippi State to win the Arizona Tip-Off.
• Butler made a season-best 13 three-pointers in the win over Utah, including four from Brooks. The Bulldogs attempted 32 three-pointers, which was also a season-high.
• Monday’s contest against Utah was the first game for the Bulldogs since March 13 when they fell to top seed St. John’s in the quarterfinals of the BIG EAST Tournament.
• Butler is shooting 36.8 percent from three-point range on the season, which is among the Top 40 nationally; on the other end of the court, the Bulldogs defend the three-point line well, allowing opponents to hit only 31.4 percent of their attempt from behind the arc (which is 61st nationally).
• Butler ranks tenth in the country, committing only 13.5 fouls per game.
• Finley Bizjack added 16 points for the Bulldogs in the win over Utah; it was his 17th double-figure scoring output of the season.
• The 22 points by Brooks Monday served as his tenth 20-point game of the season; he also went over 1,000 points in his two seasons at Butler (now with 1,010 as a Bulldogs in addition to 131 points scored in his two seasons at Michigan State).
• Patrick McCaffery is shooting 41.1 percent from behind the arc this season. McCaffery has hit multiple three-pointers in 21 games.
• Andre Screen ranks eighth in the BIG EAST at 1.29 blocks per game; his 6.0 rebounds per game are 11th in the conference.
• Butler committed only one turnover in the regular season finale at Creighton March 8. Villanova also had only a single turnover in their Dec. 21 game at Creighton. Prior to the two occurrences this season, the last BIG EAST team to have only one turnover in a game was Louisville, which had one turnover Feb. 7, 2007 against Georgetown (Rick Pitino was the coach of that Louisville team).
• The Bulldogs defeated Northwestern and No. 25 Mississippi State in taking the Arizona Tip-Off title over Thanksgiving.
• Butler has played in two events in Las Vegas previously: the 2016 Continental Tire Las Vegas Invitational and the 2021 Maui Invitational (which was played in Las Vegas that year due to the COVID-19 pandemic).
• Butler won the 2016 Las Vegas Invitational, posting wins over Vanderbilt and Arizona.
Series: Butler Leads, 1-0
Only Meeting: Nov. 26, 2023; Butler, 70-56 (in Orlando, Fla., as part of the ESPN Events Invitational)
BUTLER BASKETBALL LANDS FIRST-TEAM ALL-CONFERENCE TRANSFER
The Butler basketball program picked up one of the top scorers in the portal as former Purdue Fort Wayne guard Jalen Jackson committed to the Bulldogs on Tuesday. Jackson is a Fort Wayne native and averaged 19.2 points per game for the Mastodons this past season.
IU INDY MEN’S BASKETBALL
JAGUARS SIGN WILL WHORTON TO JOIN MEN’S BASKETBALL PROGRAM
INDIANAPOLIS – The IU Indianapolis men’s basketball program announced a fifth addition and the second transfer in this year’s recruiting class as Will Whorton (Milwaukee, Wisc. / Rufus King HS) signed to join head coach Paul Corsaro’s squad. Whorton, a 6-foot-8 forward, spent the past two years at South Dakota State, including redshirting the 2023-24 season. He comes to IU Indy with three seasons of eligibility remaining.
“We think Will is a really good addition for us. He’s an incredibly active and athletic big man who will immediately make us better at both ends of the court,” Corsaro said. “He’s different than DeSean and Keenan, so it gives us a ton of depth and versatility in the frontcourt. He’s going to come in and compete and we think he has a ton of upside to him. We’re excited to get him to campus and begin working with him.”
After redshirting his first season in Brookings, Whorton played in 21 games and made two starts for the Jackrabbits this past season. He averaged 3.0 points and 2.9 rebounds per game while playing just over nine minutes per contest. He shot nearly 64 percent from the field, doing the bulk of his damage in the paint. He had a season-high eight points on two different occasions and grabbed a season-high 10 rebounds in just 21 minutes in a start against Chadron State.
Whorton was a two-time all-conference performer while at Rufus King High School after averaging 17.8 points per game his senior year. He was an honorable mention WBCA Division I All-State pick and was ranked among the top-10 recruits in the state by WisSports.net. He was a finalist for the top defensive player in the state as a senior by the Wisconsin Sports Network.
Whorton becomes the fifth IU Indy men’s basketball addition for next season, joining Eastern Kentucky-transfer Micah Davis and high school signees Maguire Mitchell, Austin Sperry and Gabe Stewart.
IU INDY MEN’S GOLF
MEN’S GOLF FINISHES FOURTH AT BUTLER’S BENBOW SPRING INVITATIONAL
INDIANAPOLIS – The IU Indianapolis men’s golf team finishes off a fourth-place finish at this week’s Butler Don Benbow Spring Invitational with a final round 290 at Highland Golf and Country Club on Tuesday (Apr. 1).
Titus Boswell led the way with a final round, even par 70 and Sam McWilliams fired a 1-over 71. Noah Kirsch was countable at 3-over 73, as was Brady Schier at 6-over 76. Kirsch finished the week as the team’s top finisher at 214 (72-69-73), tying for 21st among 101 players overall. McWilliams finished tied for 27th at 215 (71-73-71) and Schier finished at 217 (71-70-76).
Boswell capped a steady day with a birdie on his final hole to get to even par 70 for the round. Meanwhile, McWilliams rallied after opening with two bogeys, getting to 1-under after back-to-back birdies on 11 and 12. A late double bogey pushed him over par in a round in which he made four birdies. Kirsch made birdie on his first and last holes of the day as part of his 73.
Harry Ward posted a final round 72 while playing as an individual and Greg Miller finished at 79.
McWilliams finished tied atop the field in par-3 scoring for the week, playing them to 2-under for the tournament. He and Schier had a team-high eight birdies for the week while Boswell led the team with 37 pars.
Host Butler won the tournament at 829, easily outpacing second-place DePaul by 11 shots. Butler Leo Zurovac collected medalist honors at 206, winning by one shot.
The Jaguars will be back in action this week when they compete at the Hoosier Collegiate in Bloomington, Ind., on Apr. 5-6.
BALL STATE BASEBALL
CARDINALS ROLL OVER KNIGHTS IN 14-1 TRIUMPH
MUNCIE, Ind. – The Ball State baseball team put up nine runs in the third inning on its way to a 14-1 win over Bellarmine on Tuesday afternoon at Shebek Stadium.
The Cardinals (20-10) scored once in the first frame and three times in the second before the big third inning to gain separation over the Knights (6-22). Ball State tacked on a run in sixth for the final scoring of the day to run-rule Bellarmine in seven innings.
After the visitors got on the board with a sacrifice fly in the top half of the first, Alex Richter hit an RBI triple to score Gavin Balius and tie the game in the bottom half of the frame. Brayden Huebner (triple), Balius (single) and Dylan Grego (single) each had RBI knocks in the second to extend the advantage for the hosts to 4-1.
Ball State batted around and then some in the third, as seven different Cardinals drove in runs in that inning alone. Grego and Max Kalk drove in a pair of runs each on a single by Grego and a double from Kalk.
Evan Shapiro (1-0) struck out four in two perfect innings out of the bullpen to earn his first win of the year. Garrett Harker, Will Jacobson and Brendan Garza followed that up with shutout innings of their own for a Ball State pitching staff that allowed the one run and two hits.
Huebner went 3-for-4 with two RBI and two runs scored in his collegiate debut, while Balius, Grego and Kalk had multiple hits and multiple RBI each on the day.
“Our boys played a complete game today – solid defense, solid pitching, good hitting,” Ball State head coach Rich Maloney said. “A lot of guys contributed.”
The Cardinals will next play a three-game series at Eastern Michigan slated to begin at 3 p.m. on Friday.
BALL STATE SOFTBALL
PIETRZAK’S BIG DAY IS NOT ENOUGH TO LIFT SOFTBALL PAST NIU
MUNCIE, Ind. – – Despite two home runs from sophomore shortstop Maia Pietrzak and a pair of solid pitching performances, the Ball State softball team suffered 2-1 and 3-2 setbacks to Northern Illinois Tuesday afternoon at the Ball State Softball Stadium.
With the Cardinals (21-10; 6-4 MAC) trailing 2-0 heading into the bottom of the seventh of the day’s first game, Pietrzak opened the inning with a solo blast to left-center field. Ball State would go on to put the tying run on second after back-to-back two-out singles from senior left fielder Kara Gunter and junior pitcher Ella Whitney.
Unfortunately, a grounder to short helped the Huskies (10-20; 5-6 MAC) get the force at second to win the game 2-1.
Despite the setback, Whitney turns in another strong effort in the circle, as she limited NIU to five hits and two runs over her 7.0 innings of work. She also struck out four batters and forced 13 groundouts.
In the nightcap, Pietrzak opened the scoring with her second blast in as many at bats, smashing the ball over the fence in left field. BSU would maintain the lead until the top of the third when NIU evened the score on an RBI double. The next inning, however, saw the Huskies take the advantage with a two-run blast to right.
Once again, the Cardinals looked for a little seventh inning magic as Whitney smashed a 1-0 pitch off the scoreboard in left-center field. Unfortunately, that was all the damage the BSU offense was able to do as three straight outs ended the game.
Ball State did receive another solid pitching performance from freshman Breanna Severino who limited NIU to nine hits and two runs over her 7.0 innings of work. She also struck out a pair of Huskies.
NOTES:
– After drawing a walk in the opener and collecting a sixth-inning single in the nightcap, redshirt senior catcher McKayla Timmons extended her streak of reaching base safely to 57 games.
– Whitney also reached base safely in both games Tuesday, with a single and hit by pitch in the opener and her home run in the nightcap … She has now reached base safely in each of the last 18 games … She is also second on the squad with 33 RBI, trailing only Timmons’ 36.
– Ball State turned in a pair of solid defensive performances, playing errorless softball over all 14 innings on the day … The Cardinals have committed just 27 errors in its first 31 games this season, including 15 games without an error, to raise its fielding percentage to .970.
UP NEXT:
The Ball State softball team is scheduled to return to action this weekend with a three-game series at Kent State. The teams are slated to play a 1 p.m. doubleheader Saturday and a Noon single game Sunday.
INDIANA STATE BASEBALL
SYCAMORES TOP SIUE, 12-5, IN MIDWEEK ROAD CONTEST
EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. – Indiana State utilized timely hitting, patience at the plate, and strong relief outings from Jack Armstrong and Colby Morse to take Tuesday night’s midweek contest at SIUE, 12-5.
The Sycamores (14-14) seized control of the contest early as Indiana State had runners on base often over the opening frames. Jeremy Martinez, Jackson Taylor, and Keegan Garis all drove in runs over the first three innings, before the Indiana State hitters started to work the count against the SIUE (12-15) pitching staff.
Indiana State drew five bases-loaded walks over the course of the contest on their way to drawing 14 walks overall in the game against the Cougars. Eli Gipson drew a season-high four walks in the contest, while four additional Sycamores had multiple walks in the game as Indiana State steadily built a commanding lead in the game.
Emil Estrella drew his first collegiate start on the mound and went 2.0 innings allowing one hit and one run, while walking three and strikeout out two. He turned the ball over to Jack Armstrong (2-0) in the bottom of the third inning and the junior right-hander delivered another standout performance on the mound.
Armstrong went 3.0 innings allowing two hits and two runs while striking out two as he kept the Cougars off-balance over the middle innings. Aaron Moss bridged the sixth inning to Morse (S, 1) and the Sycamore senior went the rest of the way allowing two hits, while striking out six in his first save with the Sycamores.
Pena, Weston Fulk, Garis, and Garcia all had multi-hit games on Tuesday night as the Sycamores connected on 11 hits in the win. Fulk added a pair of doubles, while four different Indiana State players recorded a stolen base.
Kyle Hepburn had two of SIUE’s seven hits to highlight the Cougars’ offense. Ethan Willoughby doubled and Chase Bloomer added a two-run home run for SIUE’s extra-base hits in the game.
Gabriel Nutter (0-1) took the loss allowing five hits and four runs (three earned) over 2.1 innings in his first start of the season. The Cougars utilized seven different pitchers overall in the game and combined for 14 walks and 11 strikeouts on the mound.
How They Scored
Indiana State took the 1-0 lead in the top of the second inning as Eli Gipson took advantage of an error by the SIUE left fielder on Jeremy Martinez’s single to come around and score on the play for the first run of the game.
The Sycamores added three runs in the top of the third inning as Jackson Taylor (RBI single) and Keegan Garis (RBI bunt single) singled in runs, while Gipson worked a bases-loaded walk to make it a 4-0 contest.
SIUE took one back in the third inning as Ryan Niedzwiedz connected on an RBI ground out bringing home Daniel Gierer to make it a 4-1 ballgame.
Carlos Pena added two more to the Sycamore lead in the top of the fourth with an RBI single back up the middle plating Jordan Austin and Jackson Taylor. Two more runs came across as Gipson and Martinez drew back-to-back bases-loaded walks to make it an 8-1 game.
Chase Bloomer put two on the scoreboard for SIUE in the bottom of the fifth with a two-run home run over the wall in left center driving in Kyle Hepburn to put the score at 8-3.
The Sycamores added two more runs on bases-loaded walks in the top of the sixth inning as Taylor and Nomar Garcia brought in Weston Fulk and Keegan Garis to make it a 10-3 contest.
Hepburn and Gierer connected on RBI singles for SIUE in the bottom of the sixth inning to cut the Sycamore lead down to 10-5.
Pena added an RBI single in the top of the eighth inning scoring Garcia, before Taylor crossed the plate later in the inning for the final run of the contest to provide the final 12-5 scoring margin.
News & Notes
All nine Sycamores in the starting lineup reached base in the Sycamores’ midweek win over SIUE.
Seven of the nine batters recorded hits, while six Sycamores drove in RBIs.
Overall, eight different Indiana State players crossed the plate at least one time in the win.
Weston Fulk recorded his first multi-double game on Tuesday evening, marking the seventh time in the 2025 season the Sycamores have had a player hit at least two doubles in a contest.
Carlos Pena ran his on-base streak to 22 consecutive games after going 2-for-6 with three RBIs from the plate.
Eli Gipson drew a team-high four walks in Tuesday’s game as Indiana State drew 14 walks overall as a team. It marked the third time this season the Sycamore batters have drawn double-digit walks in 2025.
Colby Morse struck out a team-high six batters on the mound on Tuesday as the Sycamores’ tied their 2025 season high with 11 SIUE punch-outs on the day. It marked the second consecutive game the Sycamores have struck out 11 batters after previously recording the total on March 29, 2025, at UIC.
Up Next
Indiana State remains on the road for another Missouri Valley Conference weekend series as the Sycamores travel to Nashville, Tenn. and E.S. Rose Park for a three-game series with Belmont over April 4-6. First pitch in Friday’s opener is set for 5 p.m. ET with all three games set to be carried live on ESPN+ and 105.5 The Legend.
INDIANA STATE SOFTBALL
SYCAMORES TAKE DOWN BUTLER 8-2 IN INDIANAPOLIS
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – The Sycamores powered past Butler with an 8-2 victory on Tuesday afternoon, fueled by an 11-hit offensive surge and strong pitching from Lauren Sackett and Hailey Griffin.
Indiana State jumped out to an early lead in the top of the 1st inning, scoring two runs. After Morgan Goodrich reached base on a Butler left fielder’s error, Sophie Esposito doubled to center field, bringing Goodrich home for the first lead of the game.
Livi Colip then singled, advancing Esposito to third, before Hannah Welch hit a sacrifice fly to center field, scoring Esposito, making it 2-0 early.
Butler answered back in the bottom of the 1st with two runs of their own. Lehner singled, White walked, and both stole a base. Dorsett then singled to drive in both Lehner and White, knotting the game at 2-2.
In the top of the 2nd, the Sycamores responded with three runs to regain the lead. Peyton Simmons reached base on a throwing error, followed by Jordan Thatcher’s single, advancing Simmons to third.
Lauren Marsicek then hit a sacrifice fly to score Simmons. Goodrich singled, driving in Thatcher, and Sophie Esposito followed with a double, bringing in Goodrich to give the Sycamores a 5-2 advantage.
The Sycamores added three more insurance runs in the top of the 6th. Kenzie Cornwell, pinch-hitting, singled, and Simmons also singled. Luci Kapelka reached base on an error, and Marsicek reached on a fielder’s choice, with Cornwell out at home.
Morgan Goodrich then singled, driving in Kapelka, and Esposito singled to bring in Marsicek. A passed ball scored Poulson to cap the Sycamores 8-2 lead.
Indiana State’s offense was led by Goodrich, Esposito, and Cornwell, who each recorded multi-hit games.
Goodrich went 2-for-3 with 2 runs and 2 RBIs. Esposito had a standout performance, going 3-for-4 with 3 RBIs. Cornwell, in her pinch-hit appearance, also recorded 2 hits. Welch added an RBI and a double, while Marsicek contributed with a sacrifice fly and a run scored.
The Sycamores pitchers were stellar throughout the game. Lauren Sackett (W, 2-10) earned the win after pitching 4 innings, allowing 2 hits, 2 runs (both earned), 2 walks, and striking out 4.
Hailey Griffin recorded a save in the victory as she closed out the game with 3 shutout innings, not allowing any hits or runs, while striking out 5 and walking none. As a team, the Sycamores allowed just 2 hits, 2 runs (both earned), 2 walks, and struck out 9.
PURDUE FT. WAYNE BASEBALL
MASTODONS FALL TO CENTRAL MICHIGAN
FORT WAYNE, Ind. – Purdue Fort Wayne’s Jackson Micheels knocked in three runs but it came in a losing effort to Central Michigan on Tuesday (April 1) 16-3 in non-league baseball action.
Micheels knocked in two with a double in the third and one on a groundout in the first. Colton Shirley had a double and a walk. Justin Osterhouse also had a double.
Trailing 4-0, Osterhouse scored on a Micheels groundout in the bottom of the first. Thanks to Micheel’s double in the third, the ‘Dons trailed 5-3 until the sixth when Central Michigan put 11 runs on the board.
Aydin Wright went 2-for-4 with two doubles and four RBIs. Cole Kwiatkowski had three hits. Hayden Bailey got the win for CMU. He is 2-1.
The Mastodons fall to 6-21. Central Michigan improves to 11-18. Purdue Fort Wayne hosts Milwaukee this weekend in league action.
EVANSVILLE BASEBALL
UE BASEBALL OUTLASTS SEMO IN 7-6 WIN
EVANSVILLE, Ind. – In the final game of a five-game homestand, the University of Evansville baseball team was able to get a one-run win over the Southeast Missouri Redhawks.
In a back-and-forth game, the Purple Aces were able to keep the upper hand for their second straight win. UE also evened the series with SEMO in Evansville with the 7-6 victory on Tuesday. Both teams have now won four games at German American Bank Field since 1980. The Aces offense was led by first baseman Cal McGinnis (Kimberly, Wis. / Bradley) and catcher Matt Flaherty (Lake Zurich, Ill. / Bellarmine), with three hits each. McGinnis had the winning hit for UE with a single up the middle in the bottom of the eighth that hit the second base bag to skip into center field and score the seventh run.
“It was a complete game for the club tonight,” said Head Coach Wes Carroll following the win. “It was our first midweek win in quite some time. We got some great efforts on the mound from multiple guys, especially Clevidence and Jack Wills on the backend throwing strikes and being able to land some off speeds to give us a chance. And then our defense threw up a goose egg in the error column while our offense did just enough.
“We had some back-to-back-to-back two-out RBI knocks, which was really crucial at the beginning of the game. And then Flaherty delivered the big barrel, and we had something go our way. We got a bounce that went our way as Cal McGinnis hit off the second base bag for the go-ahead run. I’m proud of our club for competing all nine innings against a quality opponent in SEMO. And hopefully, we’ll keep this momentum going when we get on the bus Thursday to go to Chicago.”
Evansville had another big start to a game on Tuesday, taking down SEMO in order while also adding two hits in the first inning. But the Redhawks scored first in the top of the second after getting a lead off double and back-to-back sacrifice plays to bring in a run. The Aces were able to get out of the frame with a fly out on the next at-bat.
UE answered the run in the bottom of the second like the Redhawks. Flaherty put a lead off double down the left field line. He scored for Evansville two at-bats later on back-to-back infield groundouts. The Aces were able to get another runner on base but were not able to bring him home as they headed to the third inning.
SEMO threatened in the top of the third loading the bases after a lead off strikeout. But with two outs on the board, reliever Parker MacCauley (Paducah, Ky. / Tennessee Tech) got the Redhawks swinging to get out of the jam. UE’s bats really got going in the bottom of the third with a two-out rally to take an early lead.
Left fielder Charlie Longmeier (Seymour, Ind. / Seymour HS) started the rally with a double into right. Evansville had a second runner on base just after as SEMO’s pitcher walked right fielder Harrison Taubert (Casper, Wyo. / Northeast CC). The Aces then had three straight batters hit singles to the outfield to score three runs to make it a 4-1 game. UE scored one more run in the bottom of the third on a catcher’s balk to hold a four-run lead a third of the way through the game.
The Redhawks were able to get back some of the runs from Evansville in the top of the fourth. SEMO had two batters get on base to start the inning, and a double in the third at-bat scored the first run. The Redhawks then scored two more runs to clear the bases on a groundout and a passed ball. SEMO added one more hit in the fourth, but the Aces got back-to-back outs to end the inning to keep a one-run lead.
Neither team scored over the next two innings as UE added two hits to its stat line. The Redhawks tied the game up in the top of the seventh with a solo home run. The homer was immediately answered by Evansville in the bottom of the inning as Flaherty had his second long ball in as many games. The Aces were back in front but did not stay there for long as SEMO scored another tying run on a double in the top of the eighth.
Despite the Redhawks connecting on their second tying run of the game, UE kept fighting at the plate in the bottom of the eighth. Evansville began the offensive frame with a single from third baseman Drew Howard (Ferdinand, Ind. / Forest Park HS). Howard soon moved into scoring position on a wild pitch from SEMO’s closer.
The Aces got another runner on base as outfielder Ty Rumsey (Evansville, Ind. / North HS) was hit by a pitch to take first. McGinnis then came to the plate and put the winning hit through the middle to score Howard for the 7-6 score. UE’s defense held on in the top of the ninth with three straight outs as winning pitcher Jack Wills (Shelbyville, Ky. / Shelby County HS) threw his second strikeout of the night.
Seven Evansville batters had hits on Tuesday night for 13 overall hits. Along with three hits from Flaherty and McGinnis, McConnell and Howard also had multiple hits against the Redhawks. Flaherty and Howard also led the team in RBIs with two each. While Wills picked up the win ,the Aces used five pitchers on Tuesday who combined for nine hits, five earned runs, five walks, and eight strikeouts. Reliever Jack Clevidence (Ankeny, Iowa / Ankeny HS) threw the most strikeouts for UE with eight Ks.
Evansville returns to conference play this weekend with a trip up to the Windy City. The Aces will play three games at UIC starting on Friday, April 4. First pitch for the first game of the series is set for 4 p.m. in Chicago.
SOUTHERN INDIANA BASEBALL
SCREAMING EAGLES FLY BY NORSE, 10-0
EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana Baseball scored in five-straight innings and cruised to a 10-0 victory over Northern Kentucky University Tuesday evening at the USI Baseball Field. USI is 13-15 overall after tonight’s action, while NKU goes to 15-12 this spring.
Following a scoreless first inning, the Screaming Eagles took the lead, 2-0, with a pair of runs in the second inning. USI sophomore second baseman Parker Martin put the Eagles on the board with an RBI single, while junior catcher Micajah Wall knocked in the second run with a triple.
The lead increased to 3-0 in the third when the Eagles and senior centerfielder Khi Holiday manufactured a tally. Holiday walked, stole second, advanced third on a ground out, and scored on a wild pitch for run number three.
An RBI single by senior leftfielder BJ Banyon ran the USI advantage to 4-0 in the bottom of the fourth. Junior shortstop Clayton Slack doubled to lead off the frame before scoring on the liner through the right side.
USI sealed the win by scoring twice in the bottom of the fifth, sixth, and eighth in cruising to the 10-0 victory.
Overall at the plate, USI had five players – Holiday, Martin, Banyon, junior designated hitter Cole Kitchens, junior third baseman Patrick McLellan – with two hits each in the victory. Holiday scored a team-high three runs, while Kitchens extended his team-best hitting streak to 17 games.
On the mound, freshman right-hander Sage Stout started and picked up his third win of the year. Stout (3-1) allowed three hits and two walks, while striking out a season-high four batters, in blanking the Norse through four innings.
USI junior right-hander Aaron Rubio, senior right-hander Hiroyuki Yamada, and graduate right-hander Camden Dimidjian combined to pitch the final four innings and blanked the Norse on a single hit. Rubio struck out a pair of batters in two innings, while Yamada and Dimidjian fanned a hitter each.
Up Next for the Eagles:
The Screaming Eagles finish the homestand with a three-game series against the Eagles of Morehead State University April 4-6.
Morehead State, which was picked to finish fourth in the OVC this season, is 10-16 overall and 1-5 in the OVC after losing two of three with Eastern Illinois University last weekend in Morehead, Kentucky. The MSU Eagles have lost six of the last eight games, but posted a win at Ohio University Tuesday, 4-3.
VALPO SOFTBALL
SOFTBALL SWEEPS TUESDAY TWINBILL AT UIC
The Valpo softball team took care of business Tuesday in an MVC doubleheader at UIC, edging the host Flames 3-2 in the opener before exploding for a 15-3 win to close the night. Carson Kuhlmann (Grand Blanc, Mich./Grand Blanc) tied a program single-game record by scoring four runs in the nightcap, while the Beacons drew 11 walks as a team in that contest — second-most in a single game in program history.
How It Happened – Game One
Valpo opened the scoring in the top of the second. Sophia Leitzen (Orfordville, Wis./Lakewood) reached on a single with one out and eventually came around to score on a UIC error, followed two batters later by a Marissa Jackson (Willis, Mich./Huron) RBI single which plated Kaia Garnica (Plainfield, Ill./Plainfield Central).
UIC got one run back in its half of the second, but Kayden Krug (Milford, Ohio/Mount Notre Dame) made sure the Flames wouldn’t tie the game, throwing a strike to the plate to cut down a second UIC runner trying to steal.
The freshman Leitzen crossed the plate for the second time in as many innings in the top of the third. She started a two-out rally by working a full-count walk and scored two batters later on an RBI base knock from Kim Rodas (San Bernardino, Calif./Cajon).
UIC had a runner into scoring position with less than two outs in each of the next three innings, but Valpo’s pitching and defense combined to keep the Flames off the board.
The Flames hit a two-out solo homer in the bottom of the seventh to move within one run, but while their next batter singled, they tried to advance to second on an overthrow and Mack Gallagher (Frankfort, Ill./Lincoln-Way East [MSU Moorhead]) fired to Krug — now playing second base — to apply the tag and get the final out.
How It Happened – Game Two
Valpo posted its first crooked number of the game in the top of the second, pushing three across the plate to take the lead for good. Madison Vrastil (Oak Forest, Ill./Andrew) blooped a bases-loaded single just over the circle, Jackson drew a full-count walk and Gallagher dropped a run-scoring single into right-center field.
UIC scored one in its half of the second to make it a 3-1 game, but the Beacons responded with another three-spot in the third. Vrastil had a bases-loaded groundout for her second RBI in as many innings and Jackson followed with a two-run knock back through the middle, pushing the lead to 6-1.
The Flames countered with a two-out, two-run double in their next turn at the plate to make it a 6-3 game.
After a quiet fourth inning, Valpo came up with another three-run frame in the fifth, taking advantage of a walk, two wild pitches and two UIC errors to pull out to a 9-3 lead.
The Beacons closed the door on the game with their biggest inning, plating six runs in the top of the sixth. Rodas delivered a bases-loaded single to score the first run of the frame, followed immediately by a two-run single from Kuhlmann. Gallagher closed things out with the biggest blow, lining a pitch to the wall in left-center with the bases loaded to score three.
Inside the Games
The doubleheader sweep was just the second in program history over UIC.
Combined with the Beacons’ walk-off win over Evansville in last weekend’s series finale, Valpo has its first three-game winning streak within conference play since reeling off six straight MVC wins late in the 2018 campaign.
Valpo scored 15 runs in the nightcap, its largest output ever against the Flames. The 15 runs were the program’s most in a single game since plating 24 against Seton Hall Feb. 8, 2014.
The Beacons racked up 10 hits and 11 walks in the nightcap, the latter mark tied for the second-most in a single game in program history — only a 12-walk performance against Bethune-Cookman Feb. 29, 2020 topped it.
Kuhlmann scored four runs out of the nine-spot in the batting order in the nightcap win, tied for the most runs scored in a single game in program history. The sophomore is the 11th to do so and the first since Alexis Johnson did so last year on Feb. 26 against Morehead State.
The top three in the Beacons’ order went 7-for-11 with three walks in the nightcap win. Vrastil was 2-for-4 with a walk, two runs scored and two RBIs, Jackson was 3-for-3 with a walk and three RBIs and Gallagher was 2-for-4 with a walk and four RBIs. For Vrastil and Jackson, it was a season high in RBIs, while Gallagher matched her season best.
Rodas and Natalie Bush (Hudsonville, Mich./Unity Christian) scored three runs apiece as well.
Erin Metz (Wheaton, Ill./Wheaton North) earned the win in the nightcap — her second of the day to improve to 4-1 on the year — with two innings of shutout relief. The rookie picked up the win in the opener and she started and tossed the first four innings, giving up just one run.
Azalya Lopez (Corona, Calif./Eleanor Roosevelt [MSU Moorhead]) tossed the final three innings in the opener to record her second save of the year.
Leitzen reached base in both of her plate appearances in the opener with a walk and a hit, scoring a pair of runs. Jackson and Krug each had two-hit games in the opener.
Next Up
Valpo (15-16, 4-6 MVC) heads to central Illinois this week for a three-game series at Bradley. The series opener against the Braves is slated for Friday evening at 5 p.m.
VALPO BASEBALL
VALPO BEATS MILWAUKEE ON DENTY’S GAME-ENDING CATCH
Valparaiso University baseball sophomore Kevin Denty (Tinley Park, Ill. / Marian Catholic) made a sprawling catch on the warning-track in deep right field, helping the Beacons preserve an 8-6 victory over Milwaukee in the first game played at Emory G. Bauer Field this season on Tuesday.
How It Happened
The game got off to a high-scoring start as each team scored three times in the opening inning. Milwaukee tallied three runs on four hits in the top of the frame before Valpo responded with three in the bottom half, highlighted by a two-out, two-run single by Austin Amburgey (Miamisburg, Ohio / Miamisburg). The Beacons made the Panther starter pay for his wildness, as two walks and a hit batter started that inning.
Valpo starting pitcher Lucas Foley (Deer Park, Ill. / Lake Zurich) settled down in inning number two, retiring the side in order. Two more walks from the Milwaukee starter began the bottom of the second, then the Panthers went to the bullpen. Kevin Denty (Tinley Park, Ill. / Marian Catholic) was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to force in a run, and eventually Spencer Warfield (Fullerton, Calif. / Servite) notched a two-out double down the left-field line to finish off a four-run inning and give Valpo a 7-3 lead.
Foley overcame the rocky start to put up zeros in each of the final four innings of his outing. The southpaw eventually attained the win after permitting three runs on seven hits and two walks while striking out two in five frames.
In the fifth inning, Warfield ripped a home run to left, opening the lead to 8-3.
The Valpo bullpen was touched for three sixth-inning runs, all of which came after two were out including a two-run homer that made it 8-6.
Freshman Nick Baffa (Glenview, Ill. / Notre Dame College Prep) turned in two clean innings before redshirt sophomore Ryan Kruse (Detroit, Mich. / U of D Jesuit) worked a 1-2-3 ninth to nail down the save, an inning that was capped by Denty’s game-ending grab.
Inside the Game
This marked the team’s first game played at Emory G. Bauer Field this season. The Beacons did play two home games at UIC’s Curtis Granderson Stadium on the last day of February. In a bit of an oddity, Valpo had the latest Emory G. Bauer Field opener since 2021 while also having the earliest home opener in program history this season. The Beacons played at home on the final day of February and first day of April, but did not play at home in the month of March.
Valpo prevailed despite being outhit 11-4. The four hits marked Valpo’s fewest in a victory since April 5, 2014. Amazingly enough, Valpo had four or fewer hits and won in both games of a doubleheader that day vs. Wright State, winning the opener 3-1 with three hits and the nightcap 2-0 with four hits.
Foley had his longest outing of the season and the longest since his collegiate debut, when he went seven innings and struck out 11 on Feb. 17, 2024 at Alabama State.
Foley picked up his second career win and first this season. Kruse recorded his first collegiate save. Baffa’s two shutout innings marked his first stint of two innings or more in his young career.
The home team continued to have success in the head-to-head series as the home squad has won seven straight Milwaukee/Valpo matchups.
Warfield accounted for two of the team’s four hits and drove in three. He had both of the team’s extra-base knocks including his fourth career home run and second of the season. Half of Warfield’s 18 hits this season have gone for extra bases.
Up Next
The Beacons (7-17, 2-4) will have their first home Missouri Valley Conference series of the season this weekend as Illinois States comes to town for a three-game series that begins on Friday at 3 p.m. at Emory G. Bauer Field. Admission is free and the game will air on ESPN+.
UINDY WOMEN’S TRACK
GREYHOUNDS PICKED THIRD IN GLVC COACHES PRESEASON POLL
INDIANAPOLIS—The Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) released its preseason coaches poll for women’s outdoor track and field on Tuesday. The UIndy team was picked to finish third at the Outdoor Championships in May. With 168 points the Greyhounds also received one first-place vote.
Brad Robinson returns for his second outdoor season at the helm of the program. Key returners for the Hounds are Ellie Lengerich and Zoe Pentecost. Lengerich is the reigning conference Heptathlon and 400m hurdles champion. Pentecost looks to repeat her performance as the GLVC and NCAA hammer throw champion.
Jorjia Ferguson returns to the track as the women’s Indoor Freshman of the Year. In her first collegiate outdoor season, Ferguson will take on the multis competition and the hurdles.
The complete poll and voting results can be found below.
Rank School Points (1st-place votes)
1. Lewis 194 (12)
2. Lincoln 182 (2)
3. Indianapolis 168 (1)
4. Southwest Baptist 154
5. Missouri S&T 145
6. Maryville 126
7. Truman State 118
8. William Jewell 96
9. McKendree 85
10. Drury 80
11. Illinois Springfield 72
12. Upper Iowa 46
13. Missouri-St. Louis 42
14. Rockhurst 40
15. Quincy 25
IU INDY MEN’S LAX
UINDY EARNS BOTH GLVC MEN’S LACROSSE WEEKLY AWARDS
INDIANAPOLIS – UIndy senior attacker Triston Schaffer and freshman defender Mitchell Carik have been named the GLVC Players of the Week in men’s lacrosse, it was announced by the league office Monday.
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Triston Schaffer, Indianapolis
Sr. | A | Pittsburgh, PA
Major: Finance
Team Result: W 14-8 vs. Alabama Huntsville (3/29)
Recorded 9 points on six goals and three assists
Took 18 shots with 10 on goal
Grabbed two ground balls and caused on turnover
Earns third career Offensive Player of the Week Award: (2/3/25, 2/26/24)
Last Greyhounds’ Offensive Player of the Week: Triston Schaffer (2/3/25)
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Mitchell Carik, Indianapolis
Fr. | D| Bartlett, IL
Major: Finance
Team Result: W 14-8 vs. Alabama Huntsville (3/29)
Recorded eight ground balls and caused two turnovers
Scooped up six of the ground balls to win UIndy possession immediately after a faceoff
Earns first career Defensive Player of the Week Award
Last Greyhounds’ Defensive Player of the Week: AJ Preachuk (2/10/25)
UINDY WOMEN’S GOLF
GREYHOUNDS PLACE THIRD AT FINDIANAPOLIS INTERCOLLEGIATE
LACONIA, Ind. – The UIndy women’s golf team completed their co-hosted duties for the FIndianapolis Intercollegiate on Monday and Tuesday. Partnering with the University of Findlay, the 36-hole tournament took place at Chariot Run Golf Club and featured 52 student-athletes from 10 different teams.
INS & OUTS
The Greyhounds placed third in the team standings at +56 (312-311-297). The Hound’s final round helped push them into third after shooting +9 as a team. Co-host No. 5 Findlay won the tournament with a final score of +18.
Caroline Whallon and Ava Ray tied for ninth at +12. Whallon (76-82-70) earned her share of ninth with the help of her -2 score in the final set of 18 holes. Despite only having one birdie in the first 36 holes, the sophomore had four birdies against three bogies in the final round. Ray (74-79-74) within the top ten throughout the competition.
Abby Stone earned a share of 17th with a final score of +16 (78-73-81). Macey Brown was not far behind her teammate in t-21st at +19 (83-77-75). Rounding out the Hounds’ lineup was Ellen Caton. Caton finished +35 (83-90-78) and placed 46th.
UP NEXT
The Hounds will return to the course on Sunday, April 13, for the UMSL Spring Invitational. Hosted by Missouri-St. Louis, the tournament will take place at Norwood Hill Country Club in St. Louis, Mo.
UINDY MEN’S GOLF
MEN’S GOLF BOUNCES BACK AT FINDIANAPOLIS INTERCOLLEGIATE
LACONIA, Ind. – The UIndy men’s golf team co-hosted the FIndianapolis Intercollegiate with the University of Findlay on Monday and Tuesday. The tournament took place at Chariot Run Golf Course with 52 student-athletes from 10 different teams competing.
INS & OUTS
The Greyhounds tied for second with Saginaw Valley State at the end of the three-round tournament. UIndy finished +12 (290-300-286) and capped the tournament off with a -2 score for round three. Charleston (W.V.) won the event with a final score of +5.
Cameron Young continues to lead the Greyhounds’ lineup with another top-five finish. Young tied for fifth at one under par (71-73-71). Alexander Nestun (72-77-71) and Jackson Watkins (73-76-71) finished +4 and earned a share of 14th. Both Hounds struggled during the second round yesterday but bounced back today in the final round with below-even scores in the final set of 18.
Drew Rowen tied for 24th at the end of the tournament. Rowen finished eight over par, after a consistent three rounds at 74-74-76. Joseph Armfield was the final member of the Hounds’ lineup. Armfield finished t-44th with a final score of +15 (78-80-73).
UP NEXT
UIndy will return to Indianapolis to host the Ken Partridge Invitational. The tournament will last three days and begin on Sunday, April 6. The annual Invitational will return to Purgatory Golf Club in Noblesville, Ind.
MARIAN WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
ABBEY MCNALLY NAMED TO NAIA ALL-AMERICA FIRST TEAM
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) announced the 2024-25 NAIA Women’s Basketball All-America Teams along with the 2025 NAIA Player of the Year and the 2025 NAIA Coach of the Year. For the second consecutive year, Abbey McNally has been named as an NAIA All-American, with this year marking her first as a member of the First Team.
A member of the 2023-24 NAIA Second Team All-America, Abbey McNally enjoyed a record-breaking season with the Knights, as she led Marian to the NAIA National Tournament Quarterfinals and an appearance in the Crossroads League Tournament Championship game. McNally was a force for Marian this season, as she was named both the Crossroads League Player and Defensive Player of the Year. A seven-time winner of the Crossroads League Player of the Week honor, McNally put up career-best numbers across the board, putting up personal best scoring, rebounding, assist, steal, and blocking numbers.
The Cincinnati, Ohio, native set the Marian single-season scoring record with 680 points, breaking the mark set one season prior by Ella Collier. McNally also broke the single-season rebounding record, grabbing 446 boards to pass Jenna Sullivan’s record that was set in the 2017 season. Additionally, McNally became the fourth-player in program history to eclipse 1500 career points, and broke the career rebounding record during the season, best the mark by 33 as she completed the season with 1033 rebounds.
McNally is the first Marian basketball player, men’s or women’s to record 1500 or more points in a career and 1000 or more rebounds in a career. The junior ended the season ranked fourth all-time in scoring and field goals made, first all-time in rebounding, fifth all-time in blocked shots, and 15th all-time in steals, while also ending the year as the active leader in career field goal percentage.
The junior forward was recently named to the WBCA NAIA All-America First Team.
The Knights finished their season with a 27-8 overall record, and their fourth consecutive appearance in the NAIA Tournament Quarterfinals.
MARIAN SOFTBALL
MARIAN TAKES TUESDAY SWEEP OF SAINT FRANCIS
Indianapolis, Ind.- The Knights swept the Cougars in Tuesday afternoons matching winning game one 7-3 and game two 7-1. Marian move to 25-5 overall on the season and 15-3 in the Crossroads League.
Game 1 | Marian 7-3 St. Francis
Marian took the 2-0 lead early in game one with Ally Malone doubling down the left field line earning two RBI’s from Jenna Minnix and Lily Wendt crossing home plate. The Knights struck again in the third inning with Grace Meyer doubling into center field earning two RBI’s from Wendt and Pritchett each scoring a run. Minnix followed up with a fielder’s choice to get the runner at second out and earn herself an RBI from Meyer’s run. Hayley Greene wrapped up the inning with a single past the shortstop to allow Minnix to score a run and increase the lead 6-0.
Marian struck again with Abby Madere reaching on a fielder’s choice to get Pritchett out at second and score Abbey Hofmann and increase the lead to seven. In the Cougars next at bat Iliff homered into left center to bring in three runs and bring the Knights lead down to four. Olivia Stunkel got the Knights out of the game with three straight outs in the sixth inning and a pop up, fly out, and a strikeout swinging to seal the deal and take the 7-3 win in game one.
Hayley Greene and Ally Malone led the Knights in game one going 2-3 from the plate with Greene recording one RBI and Malone recording two. Grace Meyer co-led the Knights in RBI’s with two and she went 1-3 from the plate. Jenna Minnix and Lily Wendt led Marian in runs with two each. In the circle Olivia Stunkel earned her 13th win of the season pitching the complete game. Stunkel struck out 11 batters out of her 31 batters faced.
Game 2 | Marian 7-1 St. Francis
Marian had a huge second inning taking the 5-0 lead over the Cougars early with Caroline Roop starting things out with a single up the middle scoring Jenna Minnix and earning an RBI. A couple at bats later Abbey Hofmann drilled one into right center to record a single and earn herself two RBI’s with Ally Malone and Hayley Greene scoring on the play. The Knights kept making big contact with the ball with Brooke Knox firing one down the right field line to earn herself a double and an advancement on the throw and score Hofmann on the play. Abby Madere wrapped the contact for the inning up with a double into right center to score Knox.
After a few dry innings Marian was able to get on the board once more with Greene doubling down the left field line to score Grace Meyer on the play and extend the lead 6-0. In the next inning St. Francis was able to get on the board with another home run in the day to knock down Marian’s lead to five. In the bottom of the inning Madere made contact once more with a double down right center to score Mystic Means and earn back the six run lead. Macy Coan got out of the game with a pair of fly outs and ground out to secure the 7-1 win.
In game two Jenna Minnix led the Knights going 2-2 from the plate with one run. Abby Madere went 2-4 from the plate with two RBI’s co-leading the Knights with Abbey Hofmann earning two RBI’s while going 1-3 from the plate with one run. In the circle Macy Coan earned her 8th win of the season pitching the complete game striking out four batters.
The Knights will be back in action on Friday as they travel up to Huntington to take on the Foresters in their second meeting of the 2024-25 campaign. First pitch for game one is set for 3 p.m.
MARIAN BASEBALL
KNIGHTS FALL IN MIDWEEK MATCHUP WITH IU-KOKOMO
INDIANAPOLIS – The Marian baseball team dropped their final scheduled non-conference game of the season on Tuesday afternoon, falling at home against IU-Kokomo in a 9-5 contest. Marian is 16-16 overall on the season with the loss.
The Knights used Tuesday’s game as a bullpen outing, seeing nine pitchers take the mound on the day. Jayson Cottrell opened the game, and pitched two strong innings to start play allowing just one unearned run. Cottrell’s run came in the first inning on a throwing error with two outs, but a strikeout ended his first frame, while his second inning saw just four batters reach the plate.
In the home half of the first Marian scratched out two runs, with erratic pitching from Kokomo’s starter Tyler Hensch giving Marian three early walks. Kameron Salazar scored the first run of the game for Marian, while Dawson Estep singled in a run to give Marian the lead. In the bottom of the second inning, the Knights plated two more, with one run coming off the bat of Elijah Kelly’s lead-off solo home run, while Johnny Roeder would record an RBI fielder’s choice to make the score 4-1. Deacon Spencer hit an RBI sacrifice fly in the bottom of the third inning after the Knights received a scoreless top half from Seth Risley, sending the game to the fourth in a 5-1 contest.
Andrew Neff made his Marian debut in the top of the fourth inning, giving up a run on one hit and three walks in his inning of work. In the fifth inning, IU-Kokomo took the lead as the game turned to Hunter Reagan, as the reliever was unable to command the strike zone. Reagan allowed two hits and three free passes that scored three Cougars, forcing a call to the pen for Aidan Bishop. Bishop got Marian out of the jam, getting a sacrifice fly out and line out to end the frame, however the Knights trailed 6-5 at the end of the frame.
Marian put together one scoring threat over the final four innings of the game, getting three runners to reach base in the bottom of the sixth inning. Kameron Salazar doubled in the inning, while Johnny Roeder and Jacob Dill reached on free passes, however the Knights were unable to come up with a timely base hit following the passes, leaving two men on in the frame.
IU-Kokomo would score one run in the top of the sixth inning off Justin Johnson to extend their lead to two runs, while in the seventh inning the Cougars drove in two runs on Caden Bradley. The Knights pitching staff would finish the game strong, as Carter King and Mitchell Porter each faced the minimum as the relievers threw the eighth and ninth innings. Porter struck out the side in his inning of work, and in the bottom of the ninth Marian was unable to add to the base path after Dawson Estep’s lead-off single, ending the game in the 9-5 defeat.
Salazar and Estep each had two hits in the loss, with three other Knights accounting for the other three base hits. Salazar finished the game with a 2-3 line, walking twice. Cottrell allowed two hits and one unearned run in his two innings, while Risely, Bishop, King, and Porter did not allow a hit or run in their relief appearances. Neff and Cottrell each recorded two strikeouts in the game.
Marian is slated to end their week with a four-game series against Mount Vernon Nazarene, with games scheduled for Friday and Saturday, weather permitting.
MARIAN WOMEN’S TENNIS
KNIGHTS DEFEAT (RV) OAKLAND CITY
Oakland City, Ind. – The Marian women’s tennis team took the 5-2 win over (RV) Oakland City on Tuesday afternoon. The Knights move to 14-7 overall on the season.
Marian opened up doubles action earning the early 1-0 lead. Yasmin Imamniyazova and Ana Barbosa Fernandez struck first with the 6-3 win at No. 1. Ana Lopez Torres and Michelle Irigoyen fired off their 6-4 win next to earn the point. Liliane Alinquant and Paloma Caceres Villalba went unfinished at No. 3 but held thr 5-4 lead over the Mighty Oaks.
Irigoyen extended the lead the 6-0, 6-1 win at No. 2 singles while Barbosa Fernandez won at No. 3, 6-0, 7-6(3). Alinquant was the next to finish falling at No. 4 in a tough fight, 4-6, 6-3, 6-2. Caceres Villialba was the next to strike winning at No. 5, 7-6(3), 1-6, 6-3 while Imamniyazova took the win at No. 1, 7-6(4), 6-4. Elisa Roccaforte was the last Knight to finish falling at No. 6, 3-6, 7-6(4), 1-0(3).
Marian will play on the road once more this weekend as they travel to Barbourville, Ky. to take on No. 17 Union College on Saturday, April 5th at 2 PM.
INDIANA SMALL COLLEGE WEB SITES
UINDY ATHLETICS: https://athletics.uindy.edu/
MARIAN ATHLETICS: https://muknights.com/
INDIANA WESLEYAN ATHLETICS: https://iwuwildcats.com/
EARLHAM ATHLETICS: https://goearlham.com/
WABASH ATHLETICS: https://sports.wabash.edu/
FRANKLIN ATHLETICS: https://franklingrizzlies.com/
ROSE-HULMAN ATHLETICS: https://athletics.rose-hulman.edu/
ANDERSON ATHLETICS: https://athletics.anderson.edu/landing/index
TRINE ATHLETICS: https://trinethunder.com/landing/index
BETHEL ATHLETICS: https://bupilots.com/
DEPAUW ATHLETICS: https://depauwtigers.com/
HANOVER ATHLETICS: https://athletics.hanover.edu/
MANCHESTER ATHLETICS: https://muspartans.com/
HUNTINGTON ATHLETICS: https://www.huathletics.com/
OAKLAND CITY ATHLETICS: https://gomightyoaks.com/index.aspx
ST. FRANCIS ATHLETICS: https://www.saintfranciscougars.com/landing/index
IU KOKOMO ATHLETICS: https://iukcougars.com/
IU EAST ATHLETICS: https://www.iueredwolves.com/
IU SOUTH BEND ATHLETICS: https://iusbtitans.com/
PURDUE NORTHWEST ATHLETICS: https://pnwathletics.com/
INDIANA TECH ATHLETICS: https://indianatechwarriors.com/index.aspx
GRACE COLLEGE ATHLETICS: https://gclancers.com/
ST. MARY OF THE WOODS ATHLETICS: https://smwcathletics.com/
GOSHEN COLLEGE ATHLETICS: https://goleafs.net/
HOLY CROSS ATHLETICS: https://www.hcsaints.com/index.php
TAYLOR ATHLETICS: https://www.taylortrojans.com/
VINCENNES ATHLETICS: https://govutrailblazers.com/landing/index
“SPORTS EXTRA”
TODAY IN BASEBALL HISTORY
April 2
1931 — Virne Beatrice “Jackie” Mitchell, the first woman in professional baseball, pitched against the New York Yankees in an exhibition game in Chattanooga. Babe Ruth waved wildly at the first two pitches and took a third strike. Lou Gehrig timed his swing to miss three straight pitches. Tony Lazzeri, after trying to bunt, walked and Mitchell left the game.
1952 — Hall of Fame outfielder Monte Irvin of the New York Giants broke his ankle in an exhibition game. Irvin played just 46 games that season.
1976 — The Oakland Athletics trade two key members from their recent World Series championship teams, sending OF Reggie Jackson and P Ken Holtzman to the Baltimore Orioles.
1984 — The New York Mets lost to the Cincinnati Reds 8-1 for their first opening-day defeat in 10 years.
1995 — The longest strike in major league history comes to an end. Having the first 23 days of this major league season canceled and 252 games of the last season lost, the owners accept the players’ March 31st unconditional offer to return to work. The players’ decision to return to work is made after a US District Court issued an injunction restoring terms and conditions of the expired agreement. Teams will play 144-game schedules. The strike had begun on August 12, 1994.
1996 — St. Francis of Illinois pummeled Robert Morris 71-1, with Robert Morris coach Gerald McNamara ending the after four innings.
1997 — For the first time, the salary of one player — Albert Belle — exceeded the payroll of an entire team — the Pittsburgh Pirates. Belle, the game’s highest-paid player for 1997 at $10 million, made $928,333 more than the whole Pirates payroll of $9,071,667.
1998 — By hitting a home run at Bank One Ballpark, Ellis Burks sets a major league record by having homered in 33 different stadiums.
2001 — For the first time in major league history, a Japanese position player participates in a regular season game. Seattle Mariners outfielder Ichiro Suzuki, hitless in his first three at-bats, singles in the 7th inning to ignite a two-run rally, and bunts for another single in the 8th in his debut at Safeco Field. He will go on the be both the American League Rookie of the Year and MVP this year.
2001 — Roger Clemens became the AL strikeout king, getting five to pass Walter Johnson as the Yankees beat Kansas City 7-3 in their season opener. Clemens fanned Joe Randa for his 3,509th career strikeout.
2003 — Alex Rodriguez became the youngest player to hit 300 home runs, connecting for a three-run drive in the Texas Rangers’ 11-5 loss to the Anaheim Angels. Rodriguez at 27 years, 249 days old, surpassed Hall of Famer Jimmie Foxx (27 years, 328 days).
2003 — The Detroit Tigers became the first team to have four pitchers make their major league debuts in the same game — Jeremy Bonderman, Wilfredo Ledezma, Chris Spurling and Matt Roney. The Tigers lost 8-1 to the Minnesota Twins.
2007 — Tampa Bay’s Elijah Dukes homered in his first big league at-bat in a 9-5 loss to the New York Yankees.
2008 — Kevin Youkilis plays his 194th consecutive error-free game at first base, breaking Steve Garvey’s 23-year-old major league record.
2010 — The Minnesota Twins open their new ballpark, Target Field, with an 8 – 4 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals in an exhibition game.
2011 — Ichiro Suzuki breaks the franchise hit record for the Seattle Mariners in the Mariners’ 6 – 2 win over Oakland. Ten years to the day after his first major league hit, Ichiro collects safety number 2,248, passing Edgar Martinez, with an infield single that drives in the winning run in the 9th.
2011 — Ian Kinsler of Texas became the first major leaguer with leadoff homers in each of his team’s first two games. Kinsler hit the first of four homers by the Rangers in a 12-5 victory over the Boston Red Sox.
2012 — Matt Cain and the San Francisco Giants agreed to a $127.5 million, six-year contract, the largest deal for a right-handed pitcher in baseball history.
2017 — Madison Bumgarner hit two homers but the Arizona Diamondbacks scored twice with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning off new San Francisco closer Mark Melancon to beat the Giants 6-5 in a wild season opener. Bumgarner retired his first 16 batters and became the first pitcher to hit two home runs on opening day. He struck out 11 with no walks in seven innings.
2019 — Returning to Washington, D.C. for the first time since signing a record free agent contract with the Phillies in the spring, Bryce Harper is back. He collects 3 hits, including a 458-foot two-run homer to lead the Phillies to an 8 – 2 win over the Nationals.
2021 — Commissioner Rob Manfred announces that the 2021 All-Star Game will not be staged in Atlanta, GA, as planned, but will be moved to another location to be determined, in response to the state of Georgia’s adoption of rules aimed at restricting the voting rights of African-Americans. This follows only two days after President Joe Biden stated he supported such a move, given the discriminatory nature of Georgia’s law.
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April 3
1923 — In Chicago, Ill., two Black Sox sue the White Sox. Swede Risberg and Happy Felsch seek $400,000 in damages and $6,750 in back salary for conspiracy and injury to their reputation in the aftermath of the scandalous 1919 World Series court case. Their suit will be unsuccessful.
1966 — The New York Mets sign University of Southern California star P Tom Seaver to his first contract.
1974 — The Cincinnati Reds defeated the Atlanta Braves 7-6 in 11 innings before a crowd of 52,000 at Riverfront Stadium. In his first at-bat, Hank Aaron hit a three-run homer off Jack Billingham. It was his 714th, tying Babe Ruth’s career record. The Braves had considered keeping Aaron on the bench for the season-opening series in Cincinnati so that he could attempt to tie the record four days later in Atlanta. But commissioner Bowie Kuhn would not allow it and ordered the Braves to put Aaron into the lineup for at least two of the three games.
1985 — A major league owners’ proposal is agreed to by the Players Association. The American and National leagues playoff formats are changed to best-of-sevens.
1987 — The Chicago Cubs trade starting pitcher Dennis Eckersley to the Oakland Athletics for three minor leaguers. Eckersley will emerge as the game’s dominant closer, saving 291 games over the next eight seasons.
1988 — George Bell became the first player to hit three home runs on opening day, leading the Toronto Blue Jays past the Kansas City Royals 5-3. Bell, bitter throughout spring training with his move to designated hitter, homered three times in that role off Bret Saberhagen.
1989 — Ken Griffey, Jr. of the Seattle Mariners makes his major league debut.
1994 — Chicago’s Karl Rhodes hit three solo home runs off Dwight Gooden in a 12-8 loss to the New York Mets on opening day at Wrigley Field. Rhodes became the second player to homer three times in an opener.
1998 — Mark McGwire tied Willie Mays’ National League record by hitting a home run in each of his first four games of the season. McGwire launched a towering three-run shot in the sixth inning of an 8-6 victory over the San Diego Padres.
1999 — America’s pastime opened in Mexico for the first time. The Colorado Rockies beat the Chicago Cubs 8-2 in baseball’s first season opener away from the United States and Canada.
2000 — A new major league record for Opening Day is set with five players having multiple home run games.
2001 — Hideo Nomo became the fourth pitcher in major-league history to throw a no-hitter in both leagues in Boston’s 3-0 victory over Baltimore. Nomo, who threw the first no-hitter in Colorado’s Coors Field on Sept. 17, 1996, for Los Angeles, walked three and struck out 11 in the first no-hitter in the 10-year history of Camden Yards. Nomo joined Cy Young, Jim Bunning and Nolan Ryan as the only pitchers with no-hitters in both leagues.
2003 — Sammy Sosa of the Chicago Cubs became the 18th player to hit 500 career homers, connecting for a solo shot in a 10-9 loss to Cincinnati. He became the fifth player to reach 500 homers before his 35th birthday. Babe Ruth, Hank Aaron, Willie Mays and Jimmie Foxx were the others.
2005 — Dmitri Young became the third player to hit three homers on opening day, and Jeremy Bonderman won as the youngest opening day starter in the major-leagues since 1986 to lead Detroit over the Royals 11-2.
2005 — In his first outing for the New York Yankees, Randy Johnson allows a run and five hits in six innings as New York open the major league season with a 9 – 2 win.
2006 — Seattle Mariners rookie Kenji Johjima, the first catcher from Japan to start a major league game, hits a home run for his first hit.
2015 — MLB suspends P Ervin Santana, who signed the largest free agent contract in Twins history this off-season, for 80 games for testing positive to the anabolic steroid stanozolol.
TODAY IN SPORTS HISTORY
April 2
1939 — Ralph Guldahl beats Sam Snead by one stroke to capture the Masters golf tournament.
1969 — Toronto center Forbes Kennedy sets a Stanley Cup playoff record for most penalties in one game with 8.
1978 — Czech tennis star Martina Navratilova wins her first WTA Tour Championship.
1980 — Wayne Gretzky becomes the youngest player to reach 50 goals at 19 years and 2 months of age.
1983 — New York Islander Mike Bossy becomes the first player to score 60 or more goals in three consecutive seasons.
1984 — Georgetown, led by junior center Patrick Ewing and freshman forward Reggie Williams, beats Houston 84-75 to win the NCAA championship in Seattle. Houston becomes the second team to lose in two consecutive finals.
1985 — Edmonton C Wayne Gretzky sets an NHL record with his 34th career hat trick.
1986 — The 3-point field goal, at 19 feet, 9 inches, is adopted by the NCAA.
1989 — 8th NCAA Women’s Basketball Championship: Tennessee beats Auburn, 76-60.
1990 — UNLV pounds Duke 103-73 to win its first NCAA championship and extend the Blue Devils’ streak to eight Final Four appearances without a title. The Runnin’ Rebels become the first team to score more than 100 points in a championship game and the 30-point margin is the largest ever.
1995 — Connecticut caps an unbeaten season by defeating Tennessee 70-64 for the NCAA women’s championship. The Huskies, 35-0, become the winningest basketball team for one season in Division I.
2000 — Connecticut wins its second women’s national championship with a 71-52 victory over Tennessee. The top-ranked Huskies beat No. 2 Tennessee for the second time in three meetings this season.
2001 — New York Yankees pitcher Roger Clemens becomes American League all-time strikeout leader.
2001 — Seattle outfielder Ichiro Suzuki has 2 hits and becomes first Japanese position player to play in a regular season MLB game.
2001 — 63rd NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship: Duke beats Arizona, 82-72.
2003 — At 27 years, 249 days Texas Rangers infielder Alex Rodriguez becomes the youngest MLB player to hit 300 home runs.
2005 — Bubba Stewart becomes first African-American to win a major motor sports event when he takes out the Monster Energy AMA Supercross C’ship event in Irving, Texas.
2007 — The Florida Gators keep their stranglehold on the college basketball world with an 84-75 victory over Ohio State for their second straight national championship. The Gators are the first team to repeat since Duke in 1991-92.
2010 — Basketball superstar Kobe Bryant signs a three-year contract extension with the NBA’s Los Angeles Lakers worth $87 million.
2011 — The Detroit Red Wings clinch their 20th straight playoff berth with a 4-3 victory over Nashville. The Red Wings extend the longest active playoff streak among North America’s four major professional sports and extend their NHL record with 11 straight seasons with 100 points.
2012 — Doron Lamb scores 22 points as Kentucky wins its eighth men’s national championship, holding off Kansas for a 67-59 victory.
2013 — Shoni Schimmel scores 24 points and giant-slaying Louisville claims another big upset, beating second-seeded Tennessee 86-78 and earning the school’s second trip to the Women’s Final Four.
2014 — The Sacramento Kings beat the Los Angeles Lakers 107-102 to give the Lakers their 50th loss of the season. The last time the Lakers had 50 or more losses was 1974-75 (30-52).
2016 — Villanova advances to the national championship game with the biggest margin of victory in Final Four history, overwhelming Oklahoma in a resounding 95-51 victory. The margin topped 34-point Final Four wins by Cincinnati over Oregon State in 1962 and Michigan State over Penn in 1979.
2017 — 36th NCAA Women’s Basketball Championship: South Carolina defeats Mississippi State, 67-55.
2018 — Pernilla Lindberg makes a 30-foot birdie putt on the eighth extra hole to win the ANA Inspiration for her first professional victory. Lindberg finishes off Inbee Park on the par-4 10th, the fourth playoff hole at Mission Hills.
2018 — Villanova wins its second men’s national championship in three years after a 79-62 victory over Michigan. Donte DiVincenzo comes off the bench to score 31 points for the Wildcats. Villanova wins all six games by double digits over this tournament run, joining Michigan State (2000), Duke (2001) and North Carolina (2009) in that company.
2019 — OKC guard Russell Westbrook becomes 2nd player in NBA history to have 20+ points, rebounds and assists in a game; records 20-20-21 in 119-103 win over LA Lakers.
2023 — Caitlin Clark scores 41 points in the Final Four for Iowa against South Carolina.
April 3
1923 — “Black Sox” sue White Sox (unsuccessfully) for back salary.
1930 — The Montreal Canadiens win the NHL Stanley Cup with a two-game sweep of the Boston Bruins.
1933 — Ken Doraty’s overtime goal gives the Toronto Maple Leafs and 1-0 victory over the Boston Bruins in semifinals of the Stanley Cup playoffs. The goal comes at one hour, 44 minutes and 46 seconds of the overtime beyond the one-hour regulation game.
1966 — P Tom Seaver signs with the NY Mets.
1975 — Bobby Fischer stripped of world chess title for refusing to defend it, title awarded to Russian Anatoly Karpov.
1977 — Jean Ratelle of the Boston Bruins scores his 1,000th point with an assist in a 7-4 triumph over the Toronto Maple Leafs.
1982 — Buffalo’s Gil Perrault scores his 1,000th point with an assist in a 5-4 victory over the Montreal Canadiens.
1983 — 2nd NCAA Women’s Basketball Championship: USC beats Louisiana Tech, 69-67.
1987 — Chicago Cubs trade Dennis Eckersley to Oakland A’s.
1988 — Louisiana Tech wins the NCAA women’s basketball championship with a 56-54 come-from-behind victory over Auburn.
1988 — Amy Alcott shoots a 1-under 71 to win the Dinah Shore by two shots over Colleen Walker.
1988 — Mario Lemieux wins NHL scoring title, stopping Gretzky’s 7 year streak.
1989 — Michigan beats Seton Hall 80-79 in overtime to win the NCAA basketball championship. Rumeal Robinson hits two free throws with three seconds left for the Wolverines. It’s the first time that a first-year coach, Steve Fisher, wins the national title.
1991 — Bo Jackson signs 1-year contract with Chicago White Sox.
1993 — For the first time in its 157-year history, the Grand National steeplechase is declared void because of a false start. Esha Ness crosses the line first, but most of the jockeys are unaware a false start is called and the majority of the 39-horse field continue the 4½-mile race around the Aintree course even though nine stay behind at the start line.
1994 — Charlotte Smith’s 3-pointer at the buzzer gives North Carolina a 60-59 victory over Louisiana Tech in the NCAA women’s basketball championship game.
1995 — UCLA wins its first national basketball championship in 20 years and record 11th NCAA title, keeping Arkansas from repeating with an 89-78 victory.
1996 — St Francis Fighting Saints scores college baseball run record with 71.
2000 — 62nd NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship: Michigan State beats Florida, 89-76.
2004 — St. Louis clinches its 25th consecutive NHL playoff berth, the longest in major league sports, with a 4-1 win over Nashville.
2006 — Joakim Noah dominates UCLA with 16 points, nine rebounds and a record seven blocks to key a 73-57 blowout for Florida’s first national title in men’s basketball.
2006 — Steve Yzerman scores his final NHL goal (#692).
2007 — After a nine-year title drought, Tennessee and coach Pat Summitt are NCAA champions. The Lady Vols capture an elusive seventh national title, beating Rutgers 59-46.
2010 — Bernard Hopkins wins a brutal unanimous decision over Roy Jones Jr. in their long-delayed rematch, emphatically avenging his loss in the famed champions’ first fight nearly 17 years earlier.
2012 — Brittney Griner scores 26 points and grabs 13 rebounds to help Baylor finish off an undefeated season with an 80-61 win over Notre Dame in the women’s national championship game. Baylor becomes the first team in NCAA history to win 40 games.
2017 — Justin Jackson delivers the go-ahead three-point play and North Carolina scores the last eight points for a 71-65 win over Gonzaga and an NCAA title that heartbreakingly eluded the Tar Heels last year. It’s an ugly game, filled with 44 fouls and 52 free throws. Carolina was down 2 with 1:40 left when Jackson took a pass under the bucket from Theo Pinson, made a layup and got fouled. The free throw made it 66-65, and after a Gonzaga miss on the other end, Isaiah Hicks made a shot to help North Carolina start pulling away to the school’s sixth title.
2019 — San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich is ejected after an NBA record low 63 seconds in the Spurs 113-85 loss in Denver; receives 2 technical fouls in a verbal confrontation with a referee.
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April 4
1921 — The NHL champion Ottawa Senators beat the Pacific Coast Hockey Association champion Vancouver Millionaires 2-1 to win the Stanley Cup 3 games to 2.
1937 — Byron Nelson shoots a 283 to win the Masters by two strokes over Ralph Guldahl.
1938 — Henry Picard beats Ralph Guldahl and Harry Cooper by two strokes to capture the Masters.
1959 — France beats Wales, 11-3 at Stade Colombes to win the Five Nations Rugby Championship outright for the first time.
1974 — Hank Aaron ties Babe Ruth’s home-run record by hitting his 714th.
1983 — Lorenzo Charles scores on a dunk after Derek Whittenburg’s 35-foot desperation shot falls short to give North Carolina State a 54-52 triumph over Houston in the NCAA championship.
1985 — Tulane University cancels its basketball season.
1986 — Edmonton’s Wayne Gretzky breaks his own NHL single-season points record with three assists to increase his total to 214. He scored 212 points in 1981-82.
1987 — New York’s Denis Potvin, the highest-scoring defenseman in NHL history, scores his 1,000th point.
1988 — Danny Manning scores 31 points and grabs 18 rebounds as Kansas wins its second NCAA championship with an 83-79 victory over Oklahoma.
1989 — Kareem Abdul-Jabbar plays final NBA game.
1989 — NY Yankee Tommy John ties record of playing 26 seasons.
1993 — Sheryl Swoopes shatters the women’s championship game record by scoring 47 points to lead Texas Tech to an 84-82 victory over Ohio State.
1993 — Mario Andretti, at 53, wins the Valvoline 200 in Phoenix to become the oldest driver to win an Indy car race and the first driver to win a race in four different decades.
1994 — Arkansas wins its first men’s national championship with a 76-72 victory over Duke, depriving the Blue Devils of a third title in four years.
1997 — Anaheim Ducks clinch their 1st-ever playoff berth.
1997 — Braves officially open Turner Field.
1998 — Mark McGwire ties Willie Mays’ National League record by hitting a home run in each of his first four games. McGwire launches a towering three-run shot in the sixth inning of an 8-6 victory over the San Diego
2001 — Hideo Nomo becomes the fourth pitcher in major league history to throw a no-hitter in both leagues in Boston’s 3-0 victory over Baltimore.
2003 — Sammy Sosa of the Chicago Cubs becomes the 18th player to hit 500 career homers, connecting for a solo shot in a 10-9 loss to Cincinnati.
2004 — Carolina’s Brad Fast beat Florida goalie Roberto Luongo with a wrist shot to tie the game at 6-6 late in the third period. It’s the final tie game in NHL history.
2005 — North Carolina defeats Illinois to win the NCAA Division I men’s basketball championship. Sean May has 26 points and the Tar Heels don’t allow a basket over the final 2 1/2 minutes to defeat Illinois 75-70.
2006 — 25th NCAA Women’s Basketball Championship: Maryland beats Duke, 78-75 OT.
2011 — Kemba Walker scores 16 points and Alex Oriakhi has 11 points, 11 rebounds and four blocked shots to lead Connecticut to a 53-41 win over Butler in the men’s NCAA championship game. g 2015 — The United States defends their women’s world hockey championship with a 7-5 win over Canada.
2016 — Kris Jenkins hits a 3-pointer at the buzzer to lift Villanova to the national title with a 77-74 victory over North Carolina — one of the wildest finishes in the history of the NCAA Tournament. Jenkins’ shot comes moments after Marcus Paige hit a double-clutch 3 from beyond the arc to tie the game at 74 with 4.7 seconds left.
2021 — 39th NCAA Women’s Basketball Championship: Stanford Cardinal defeat Arizona Wildcats, 54–53.
TV SPORTS WEDNESDAY
| MLB REGULAR SEASON | TIME ET | TV |
| Texas at Cincinnati | 12:40pm | FanDuel Sports Ohio RSN |
| Pittsburgh at Tampa Bay | 1:10pm | FanDuel Sports Sun ATTSN-PIT |
| Kansas City at Milwaukee | 1:10pm | FanDuel Sports WI FanDuel Sports KC |
| LA Angels at St. Louis | 1:15pm | FanDuel Sports West FanDuel Sports MW |
| Minnesota at Chi. White Sox | 2:10pm | Twins.TV CHSN |
| Washington at Toronto | 3:07pm | MASN2 Sportsnet |
| Chi. Cubs at Athletics | 3:35pm | MARQ NBCS-CA |
| San Francisco at Houston | 4:10pm | SCHN NBCS-BAY |
| Cleveland at San Diego | 4:10pm | Padres.TV CleGuardians.TV |
| Detroit at Seattle | 4:10pm | FanDuel Sports DET ROOT |
| NY Mets at Miami | 4:40pm | FanDuel Sports FL SNY |
| Boston at Baltimore | 6:35pm | MASN NESN |
| Arizona at NY Yankees | 7:05pm | Prime Diamondbacks.TV YES |
| Atlanta at LA Dodgers | 8:38pm | MLBN FanDuel Sports South SNLA |
| NBA REGULAR SEASON | TIME ET | TV |
| New York Knicks vs Cleveland Cavaliers | 7:00pm | MSG FanDuel Sports Ohio |
| Sacramento Kings vs Washington Wizards | 7:00pm | MNMT2 NBCS-CA |
| Charlotte Hornets vs Indiana Pacers | 7:00pm | FanDuel Sports CHA FanDuel Sports IND |
| Miami Heat vs Boston Celtics | 7:30pm | FanDuel Sports Sun NBCS-BOS |
| Utah Jazz vs Houston Rockets | 8:00pm | KJZZ SCHN |
| Atlanta Hawks vs Dallas Mavericks | 8:30pm | FanDuel Sports ATL KFAA |
| San Antonio Spurs vs Denver Nuggets | 9:00pm | FanDuel Sports SW ALT AFSN |
| Detroit Pistons vs Oklahoma City Thunder | 9:30pm | ESPN FanDuel Sports DET FanDuel Sports OKC |
| New Orleans Pelicans vs Los Angeles Clippers | 10:00pm | GCSN FanDuel Sports SoCal |
| NHL REGULAR SEASON | TIME ET | TV |
| Minnesota Wild vs New York Rangers | 7:00pm | TNT truTV MAX |
| Washington Capitals vs Carolina Hurricanes | 7:00pm | ESPN+ MNMT FanDuel Sports South |
| Florida Panthers vs Toronto Maple Leafs | 7:30pm | TNT Scripps Sportsnet |
| Colorado Avalanche vs Chicago Blackhawks | 9:30pm | TNT truTV CHSN |
| Seattle Kraken vs Vancouver Canucks | 10:30pm | ESPN+ KONG Sportsnet |
| SOCCER | TIME ET | TV |
| EPL: Manchester City vs Leicester City | 2:45pm | USA Peacock |
| EPL: AFC Bournemouth vs Ipswich Town | 2:45pm | Peacock |
| EPL: Brighton & Hove Albion vs Aston Villa | 2:45pm | Peacock |
| EPL: Newcastle United vs Brentford | 2:45pm | Peacock |
| EPL: Southampton vs Crystal Palace | 2:45pm | Peacock |
| DFB Pokal: Stuttgart vs RB Leipzig | 2:45pm | ESPN+ |
| EPL: Liverpool vs Everton | 3:00pm | Peacock |
| Serie A: Milan vs Internazionale | 3:00pm | Paramount+ |
| Copa del Rey: Atlético Madrid vs Barcelona | 3:00pm | ESPN+ |
| CONCACAF Champions Cup: Vancouver Whitecaps vs Pumas UNAM | 9:30pm | FS2 fuboTV |
| CONCACAF Champions Cup: Los Angeles FC vs Inter Miami | 11:30pm | FS1 fuboTV |