“THE SCOREBOARD” INDIANA HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL SCORES https://www.maxpreps.com/in/baseball/scores/?date=4/4/2026 ========================================================== INDIANA HIGH SCHOOL SOFTBALL SCORES https://www.maxpreps.com/in/softball/scores/?date=4/4/2026 ========================================================== NCAA TOURNAMENT MEN’S SCHEDULE/SCORES SATURDAY, APRIL 4 (FINAL FOUR) UCONN 71 ILLINOIS 62 MICHIGAN 91 ARIZONA 73 ==== MONDAY, APRIL 6 (NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP) UCONN VS. MICHIGAN , 8:50 P.M. | TBS/TNT/TRUTV =========================================================== MEN’S NIT SCORES SUNDAY APRIL 5 TULSA VS. AUBURN 8:00 ========================================================== NCAA WOMEN’S BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT CHAMPIONSHIP SUNDAY APRIL 5 SOUTH CAROLINA VS. UCLA 3:30 ========================================================== COLLEGE BASEBALL SCORES NC STATE 7 NOTRE DAME 6 BUTLER 10 VILLANOVA 1 VALPO 4 WASHINGTON 2 RUTGERS 9 INDIANA 6 ILLINOIS 7 PURDUE 5 MIAMI OH 7 BALL STATE 6 EVANSVILLE 9 BRADLEY 4 EVANSVILLE 12 BRADLEY 3 ILLINOIS CHICAGO 17 INDIANA STATE 3 ========================================================== COLLEGE SOFTBALL SCORES FLORIDA STATE 8 NOTRE DAME 4 WISCONSIN 10 PURDUE 9 UCLA 7 INDIANA 2 DETROIT MERCY 7 IU INDY 6 OHIO 8 BALL STATE 7 NORTHERN IOWA AT EVANSVILLE CANCELLED ========================================================== MEN’S COLLEGE HOCKEY SCORES FROZEN FOUR THURSDAY, APRIL 9 WISCONSIN VS. NORTH DAKOTA 5:00 DENVER VS. MICHIGAN 8:30 ========================================================== MEN’S COLLEGE VOLLEYBALL SCORES #15 PENN STATE 3 CHARLESTON 0 #9 LOYOLA CHICAGO 3 #11 LINDENWOOD 0 #12 MCKENDREE 3 #16 LEWIS 1 #16 OHIO STATE 3 NORTHERN KENTUCKY 0 #8 UC SANTA BARBARA 3 #18 CAL STATE NORTHRIDGE 1 #2 HAWAII 3 #5 UC IRVINE 0 #3 LONG BEACH STATE 3 #13 UC SAN DIEGO 1 ========================================================== DIVISION 1 MEN’S LAX SCORES #19 ARMY 14 BUCKNELL 8 QUINNIPIAC 16 #20 SACRED HEART 14 #18 YALE 18 DARTMOUTH 7 #11 GEORGETOWN 15 PROVIDENCE 8 #16 JOHNS HOPKINS 11 #6 PENN STATE 10 #5 PRINCETON 19 VERMONT 5 #14 VIRGINIA 14 #8 DUKE 10 #4 NOTRE DAME 12 #1 RICHMOND 8 #2 NORTH CAROLINA 14 #3 SYRACUSE 9 #10 CORNELL 16 #15 PENN 8 #12 MARYLAND 8 #9 OHIO STATE 7 OT ========================================================== DIVISION 1 WOMEN’S LAX SCORES #23 RICHMOND 20 LASALLE 2 UCONN 15 BUTLER 4 #22 GEORGETOWN 19 XAVIER 1 #7 FLORIDA 9 #16 COLORADO 7 #13 NOTRE DAME 13 VIRGINIA TECH 9 MARQUETTE 16 #24 VILLANOVA 9 #10 JOHNS HOPKINS 21 OREGON 9 #12 BOSTON COLLEGE 11 #15 LOYOLA MARYLAND 8 #5 YALE 11 DARTMOUTH 8 #3 SYRACUSE 10 #18 DUKE 9 #9 STANFORD 22 LOUISVILLE 5 ========================================================== NBA SCORES MIAMI 152 WASHINGTON 136 DENVER 136 SAN ANTONIO 134 OT DETROIT 116 PHILADELPHIA 93 ========================================================== NBA G-LEAGUE SCORES NO GAMES SCHEDULED ========================================================== NHL SCORES NY RANGERS 4 DETROIT 1 MINNESOTA 4 OTTAWA 1 COLORADO 2 DALLAS 0 PITTSBURGH 9 FLORIDA 4 TAMPA BAY 3 BOSTON 1 WINNIPEG 2 COLUMBUS 1 CAROLINA 4 NY ISLANDERS 3 LOS ANGELES 7 TORONTO 6 OT WASHINGTON 6 BUFFALO 2 MONTRÉAL 4 NEW JERSEY 3 NASHVILLE 6 SAN JOSE 3 CALGARY 5 ANAHEIM 3 VEGAS 5 EDMONTON 1 ========================================================== MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL DETROIT 11 ST. LOUIS 6 CHICAGO WHITE SOX 6 TORONTO 3 MILWAUKEE 5 KANSAS CITY 2 PITTSBURGH 3 BALTIMORE 2 HOUSTON 11 LAS VEGAS 0 LA DODGERS 10 WASHINGTON 5 SAN DIEGO 3 BOSTON 2 CHICAGO CUBS AT CLEVELAND PPD CINCINNATI 2 TEXAS 0 NY YANKEES 9 MIAMI 7 TAMPA BAY 7 MINNESOTA 1 KANSAS CITY 8 MILWAUKEE 2 ARIZONA 2 ATLANTA 1 KANSAS CITY 8 MILWAUKEE 2 ARIZONA 2 ATLANTA 1 PHILADELPHIA 2 COLORADO 1 NY METS 9 SAN FRANCISCO 0 LA ANGELS 1 SEATTLE 0 ========================================================== MINOR LEAGUE BASEBALL COLUMBUS 7 INDIANAPOLIS 5 QUAD CITIES AT SOUTH BEND PPD FT. WAYNE AT GREAT LAKES PPD ========================================================== WOMEN’S PRO VOLLEYBALL SCORES INDY IGNITE 3 OMAHA 0 ========================================================== UFL SCORES ORLANDO 19 LOUISVILLE 9 ========================================================== MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER TORONTO 3 COLORADO 2 SALT LAKE 3 KANSAS CITY 1 NEW ENGLAND 3 MONTREAL 0 NEW YORK RED BULLS 4 CINCINNATI 2 NEW YORK CITY 1 ST. LOUIS 1 MIAMI 2 AUSTIN 2 DALLAS 4 DC UNITED 0 CHARLOTTE 2 PHILADELPHIA 1 COLUMBUS 3 ATLANTA 1 CHICAGO 1 NASHVILLE 0 SEATTLE 1 HOUSTON 0 LOS ANGELES 6 ORLANDO CITY 0 VANCOUVER 3 PORTLAND 2 SAN JOSE 3 SAN DIEGO 0 MINNESOTA 2 LA GALAXY 1 ========================================================== NATIONAL SPORTS NEWS RELEASES MEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL UCONN REACHES 3RD NATIONAL TITLE GAME IN 4 SEASONS, BEATING ILLINOIS 71-62 BEHIND MULLINS AND REED INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — UConn got another critical 3-pointer from Braylon Mullins and coach Dan Hurley’s Huskies are heading back to the national title game, beating Illinois 71-62 in the Final Four on Saturday night as they seek their third championship in four seasons. Tarris Reed Jr. had 17 points and 11 rebounds, while the fabulous freshman Mullins scored 15 for the Huskies (34-5), who rode strong inside play and tough defense to their 19th straight victory in the Sweet 16 or later rounds of the NCAA Tournament. UConn will face Arizona or Michigan on Monday night as it seeks its seventh title, all since 1999, and third under Hurley, who would become the only active coach with more than two. Mullins, whose buzzer-beating 3-pointer sent the Huskies past Duke and into the Final Four, hit a catch-and-shoot 3 with 52 seconds left — his only basket of the second half — to give UConn a 66-59 lead. Freshman Keaton Wagler had 20 points and eight rebounds to lead the Fighting Illini (28-9), who reached their first Final Four since losing the championship game to North Carolina in 2005. Wagler and Mullins became the first pair of freshmen to top 15 points in a Final Four game since Michael Jordan and Patrick Ewing in 1982. UConn’s Alex Karaban had nine points on 1-of-8 shooting while adding four rebounds and four assists. He’s trying to become the first player since John Wooden’s dominant UCLA teams in the 1960s and 1970s to finish his career as a three-time champion. He also tied Hurley’s brother, Bobby, for second on the career list with 18 March Madness victories. The Huskies haven’t lost a tournament game played past the opening weekend since 2009, when they fell in the national semifinals to Michigan State. With one more victory, they would break a tie with North Carolina and move into third place alone in national titles, trailing only UCLA (11) and Kentucky (eight). MICHIGAN ROLLS TO NATIONAL TITLE GAME WITH ITS LATEST DOUBLE-DIGIT MARCH WIN, 91-73 OVER ARIZONA INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Game of the year? This wasn’t even the game of the night. Michigan overpowered Arizona early and humbled the ’Cats for 40 long minutes Saturday, turning their highly anticipated Final Four matchup into a 91-73 Wolverines dunkfest-slash-highlight reel. Junior center Aday Mara scored a career-high 26 points and grabbed nine rebounds. About the only question in this one concerned the health of Wolverines forward Yaxel Lendeborg, a first-team All-American who landed on an Arizona player’s foot, rolled his ankle and sprained his knee, but still had 11 points over 14 minutes. He vowed he’d be ready for Monday’s title matchup against UConn, a 71-62 winner over Illinois in the early semifinal that was billed — wrongly — as the undercard to this battle of No. 1 seeds. “It’s going to take a full 40 minutes of fighting,” Lendeborg said. This one was over in about five. The Blue blew through their fifth straight March Madness opponent by double digits while becoming the first team to break 90 points five times in a single tournament. It was all quite a shock, considering Michigan and Arizona came in with the nation’s top two defenses, a pair of top-five offenses and somewhere between eight and a dozen NBA stars between them. But it was the Wolverines (36-3) who looked like pros, running to a double-digit lead only 5:31 into the contest, then swatting (three blocks) and slamming (nine dunks) Arizona into oblivion. “These guys have such, I guess, extensive background in playing high-profile basketball games,” said Michigan coach Dusty May, who was spotted at courtside earlier in the evening, scouting UConn-Illinois for a Monday night game he sensed he’d be part of. “We just felt like we are battle-tested.” The game plan against the Big 12 champion Wildcats (36-3) couldn’t have worked any better. Michigan packed the paint on defense, basically giving the team that averaged the fifth-fewest 3-point attempts in the country this year free rein from long distance, then daring Arizona to create inside. The Wildcats failed at both. Koa Peat had a quiet 16 points and 11 rebounds for Arizona, which shot 6 for 17 from 3, 36% overall and had two assists and nine turnovers over a first half that ended with them trailing 48-32. Sparkplug Jaden Bradley got his fourth foul 94 seconds into the second half and finished with 13 points, most in extended garbage time. Arizona’s only two losses before this were by four and by three back in February. The Wildcats trailed by nine less than 2:30 into this one. “No one has been able to do that to us all year,” said Arizona coach Tommy Lloyd, who got a contract extension over the weekend, presumably to keep him from going to North Carolina. Making it all the more impressive for Michigan was that it started this runaway without Lendeborg, who committed two fouls within five seconds of each other less than 90 seconds into the game, then landed on Motiejus Krivas’ foot a little later and went to the locker room for ice. Lendeborg called the injury “a weird feeling” but promised, “there’s no way I’m missing the game on Monday no matter what goes on.” In fact, he returned for the second half and made two quick 3s to push Michigan’s lead past 20. He was on the bench — and the stationary bike — for good with 5:19 left, enough time for rest and ice to get ready for UConn, which is going for its third title in four seasons. Michigan is going for only the program’s second championship (1989), though its most famous team — the Fab Five, which made the final twice in the early ’90s — was in the building to helm an “alt-cast” of this Michigan celebration. Some of this — the dunks, the alley-oops, the rim hanging and jersey tugging (but no baggy shorts) — might have reminded them of them. Freshman Trey McKenney made four 3s and had 16 points for the Wolverines. Elliot Cadeau overcame a bout with his nut allergy to compile a crazy stat line: 13 points, 10 assists, six turnovers, five rebounds and four steals on 5-for-17 shooting. Even with that, Michigan finished 47.8% from the floor and 12 for 27 from 3. Asked why he kept Lendeborg in for as long as he did, May recalled UConn’s second-half comeback from 19 down against Duke in the Elite Eight. “We felt like the game was still in hand,” May said. Not really. What sufficed for drama down the stretch was whether May’s team would join Jerry Tarkanian’s 1990 UNLV juggernaut as only the second team to hit triple digits at the Final Four in the modern era. The Wolverines emptied the bench with a few minutes left and came up short, but no matter. Everybody knew who the better team was in this one. That it got figured out so early was the real shock. “It’s tough for me to process this right now,” Peat said. =================================================================== WOMEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL SOUTH CAROLINA VS. UCLA (GAMECOCKS NOTES) GAMECOCK NOTABLES • Head coach Dawn Staley is fifth all-time in NCAA Tournament winning percentage (.771). She has led the Gamecocks to their third-straight national championship game, matching the second-longest streak in tournament history. • Today’s game is the Gamecocks’ 19th this season against a ranked opponent, matching the 2024-25 team’s program record. Their 15 ranked wins already matches that team’s success against the nation’s best. • South Carolina’s defense is holding opponents to just 52.6 points per game in this NCAA Tournament. In their three wins over ranked foes at the event, it yielded just 56.0 points per outing. • The Gamecocks have thrived after halftime this postseason, out-scoring opponents by an average of 8.3 points in the period to highlight a +13.9 scoring margin in the second half. • All-American forward Joyce Edwards has been strong on the glass in the NCAA Tournament, grabbing 9.4 boards per outing over the last five games, including a pair of double-doubles. • Senior Ta’Niya Latson joined the Gamecocks to play on the biggest stage in college basketball, and she has thrived in the spotlight. She averages 15.2 points, 4.0 rebounds and a team-high 4.2 assists in the NCAA Tournament. • Senior Raven Johnson is 20-2 in the NCAA Tournament across the last four seasons with her 22 games tied for the most played by a Gamecock at the event. She holds program records for assists (72) and steals (37) in career NCAA Tournament games. • Playing just 20.4 minutes per NCAA Tournament game, senior center Madina Okot still averages a double-double at the event with 10.2 points and 10.0 rebounds per outing. She is shooting 61.8 percent from the field. • Junior Tessa Johnson has been doing it all in the NCAA Tournament, averaging 11.8 points, 3.8 rebounds and 2.8 assists over the last three weekends. She is shooting 52.3 percent from the field and 55.0 from 3-point range. • Freshman Agot Makeer has had no fear in her debut NCAA Tournament, ranking third on the team with 14.6 points per game on 55.6 percent shooting, including 45.5 percent from 3-point range. Perennial Power Under Dawn Staley, South Carolina women’s basketball had been a perennial national power since winning its first SEC title in 2013-14. A few highlights from that stretch. • 6 straight NCAA Final Four appearances (2021-2026) is the longest active streak and the second-longest streak in tournament history. • 3 National Championships are third most by a single program in tournament history. • 10th undefeated National Championship season in NCAA history (2023-24) • 84 AP No. 1 rankings are third-most by a program in the poll’s history. • 136 straight AP Top-10 rankings is the longest active streak – more than three times the next program • 15 Gamecocks have earned All-America status at least once in their careers The UCLA Series The Gamecocks are 4-2 all-time against UCLA with a 4-1 mark in the Staley era (beginning 2008-09 season). One of those meetings was in the NCAA Tournament with South Carolina winning 59-43 on Mar. 25, 2023, in the Sweet 16. UCLA won the most recent meeting between the two, handing Staley her first loss in the series with a 77-62 victory on Nov. 24, 2024, in Los Angeles. The Bruins shot lights out in the first half to take a 43-22 lead into the break. Gamecocks Against the Field This season, South Carolina faced 13 of the 68 teams in the NCAA Tournament field, four of which were also in the Sacramento 4 Region, and went 15-3 against those teams. In addition to their nine league rivals in the overall field – Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, LSU, Oklahoma, Ole Miss, Tennessee, Texas, Vanderbilt – South Carolina played nonconference games against Clemson, vs. Southern Cal, vs. Duke and at Louisville. The 13 teams include a No. 1 seed, two No. 2 seeds, two No. 3 seeds, a No. 4 seed, two No. 5 seeds, a No. 6 seed, a No. 7 seed, a No. 8 seed, a No. 9 seed and a No. 11 seed. Tournament Talk South Carolina is in its 22nd NCAA Tournament and its 14th straight under head coach Dawn Staley. The Gamecocks are 60-18 (.769) overall in the event, giving them the third-best winning percentage in tournament history. This season marks their third-straight appearance in the National Championship game – the second-longest streak in tournament history – and their fourth in the last five tournaments. South Carolina is 3-1 in NCAA title games. The Gamecocks have been a regional No. 1 seed 10 times, including three seasons as the overall No. 1 seed (2022, 2023, 2024). They are 44-6 (.880) as a No. 1 seed. In her 26th season as a head coach, Staley has taken a team to the NCAA Tournament 20 times with a 54-16 (.771), ranking third among active coaches and fifth all-time in winning percentage at the event. At South Carolina, she is 52-10 (.839), including a 26-2 (.929) mark since 2022. In the first two rounds of this tournament, South Carolina set several program NCAA Tournament highs – +69 margin of victory, 24 assists and 39 defensive rebounds (tied) against Southern; 17 steals vs. Southern Cal and .714 3-point percentage against Oklahoma. Ta’Niya Latson’s 28 points against Oklahoma were the third-most by a Gamecock in an NCAA Tournament game and the most since Aliyah Boston netted 28 against North Carolina on March 25, 2022. Her perfect 10-of-10 from the free throw line in that game and against UConn matched to program’s NCAA Tournament record. Schedule Sketch Dawn Staley annually builds a schedule meant to prepare her team for the postseason. This year’s slate featured 18 games against teams ranked at the time of the game or in at least one of the most recent polls – six home, five road and seven neutral sites. Eight of the 17 games were against teams currently in the top 10. The non-conference schedule was highlighted by three ranked matchups – vs. #8/10 Southern Cal (W, 69-52), vs. #4/4 Texas (L, 64-66), at #22/21 Louisville (W, 79-77) – and another win over Duke (83-66), which is currently ranked eighth in the AP Poll. In the NET, South Carolina ranked fourth after playing 15 Quad 1 games, including four non-conference matchups. The Gamecocks led the SEC in the NET rankings, and their 12 Quad 1 wins were third-most in the nation. Ranked Readings Against ranked teams, South Carolina is 147-74 (.665) in the Dawn Staley era (beginning 2008-09), and even that mark is skewed by the early seasons of her tenure. Since the start of the 2014-15 campaign, the Gamecocks are 132-35 (.790) against ranked teams, including a 62-8 (.885) mark since the start of the 2021-22 season. The Gamecocks are 130-25 (.839) under Staley when ranked higher/better than their opponent. This season, South Carolina is 15-3 against ranked opponents, including a 7-2 mark against top-10 foes. The Gamecocks are 5-0 against ranked teams at home, 4-1 on the road and 6-2 at neutral sites. COMPLETE NOTES: https://storage.googleapis.com/gamecocksonline-com/2026/04/b657ae1b-40_scnotes_ncaa6.pdf ====== UCLA PHOENIX – The No. 1-seed UCLA women’s basketball team will face No. 1-seed South Carolina in the 2026 NCAA Championship contest this Sunday afternoon at Mortgage Matchup Center. This will mark UCLA’s first-ever appearance at the women’s basketball NCAA Championship. Previously, UCLA’s program won the AIAW national title in 1978, prior to women’s basketball being overseen by the NCAA. The Bruins’ program advanced to the national semifinals in 1978 and 1979, before making its first-ever NCAA Final Four appearance last season in Tampa, Fla. UCLA took place in multiple media appearances on Saturday at Mortgage Matchup Center, in addition to an open practice in the middle of the day.Saturday’s UCLA Press Conference: Coach Close | L. Betts “I definitely think last year felt like, we were reacting to everything, not anticipating,” said Cori Close, The Michael Price Family UCLA Women’s Head Basketball Coach. “Now that we’ve been a part of this, it was just a totally different planning experience. I felt like we were able to be more strategic in how we put our players in positioning to be successful. They were able to anticipate, ‘Okay, I heard the returner saying now this is going to be a long day, this is what you have to bring, this is what you have to do.’ You just think that makes all the difference in the world.” This marks UCLA’s second straight season playing in the NCAA Final Four, but the first year since 1982 – when the women’s basketball tournament was adopted by the NCAA – in which the Bruins have played for the NCAA title. The Bruins have gone 2-4 in six previous meetings with South Carolina. Most recently, UCLA defeated the Gamecocks in a non-conference showdown at Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom Financial on Nov. 24, 2024. The Bruins secured a 77-62 win and led the Gamecocks at halftime, 43-22. UCLA last faced South Carolina in the NCAA Tournament’s regional semifinals (Sweet 16) on March 25, 2023. South Carolina won that matchup, 59-43. “I think this team has already created a legacy in itself,” senior Lauren Betts said during the Bruins’ mid-day press conference. “Tomorrow would just be obviously the cherry on top. I want to leave this season knowing I left it all out on the floor. I want to play hard for 40 minutes. Regardless of the outcome tomorrow, I want to know in the back of my head that I gave everything to this team and this program. Tomorrow my mindset is just being a leader, being vocal, giving everything, leaving this game empty, regardless of how I feel. I think the biggest thing that I’ve learned in these past three seasons at UCLA, for me just to always believe in what I’m capable of doing and to surround myself with good people. Regardless of what I do on the court, that doesn’t take away from my value as a person.” The Bruins advanced to this year’s national title contest with a 51-44 win over No. 1-seed Texas on Friday evening. UCLA led by 12 points early in the fourth quarter, saw its lead fall to three points in the game’s final 90 seconds, and held on for the seven-point win. Lauren Betts came up with a key block of Texas, under the basket, with 20 seconds to play. Kiki Rice was a perfect 4-for-4 from the free throw stripe in the game’s final 15 seconds to preserve the UCLA win. Betts finished Friday night’s national semifinal with her second double-double of the 2026 NCAA Tournament. She totaled 16 points and 11 rebounds and also registered three blocks. UCLA fans will be able to attend a Final Four watch party on Sunday at Pauley Pavilion. The event begins at 12 p.m. (PT), and admission is free for all fans (tickets can be requested by clicking here). UCLA’s game against South Carolina will be shown on the arena’s videoboard. Food, beer and wine will be available for purchase inside the arena. Please note, that Pauley Pavilion’s clear bag policy will be in effect.The Bruins have won five NCAA Tournament games over the past three weeks, extending their season-long winning streak to 30 games. UCLA registered a perfect 18-0 record in Big Ten play and won three games in as many days at the Big Ten Tournament in Indianapolis to win the conference tournament title for the second straight year.Last weekend, UCLA defeated Minnesota in the Sweet 16, and Duke in the Elite Eight, to move into the Final Four in Phoenix. The Bruins overcame a 39-31 halftime deficit against Duke last Sunday in Sacramento, outscoring the Blue Devils, 39-19, in the final two quarters to win the game, 70-58. This Sunday’ championship contest will be nationally televised on ABC, with Ryan Ruocco and Rebecca Lobo on the call and Holly Rowe serving as the sideline reporter. Fans can also tune to UCLA’s digital radio broadcast at uclabruins.com/watch. The national radio broadcast from Westwood One (SiriusXM 84) will include broadcasters Ryan Radtke, Debbie Antonelli and Ros Gold-Onwude. =================================================================== NBA NBA ROUNDUP: NUGGETS SNAP SPURS’ 11-GAME WIN STREAK IN OVERTIME Nikola Jokic finished with 40 points, including a 7-foot floater late in overtime, Christian Braun had 21 points, and the host Denver Nuggets ended San Antonio’s 11-game winning streak with a 136-134 win over the Spurs on Saturday. Jokic, who finished with 13 assists, scored seven points in overtime to rally Denver to its eighth straight win and overcome a big game from Victor Wembanyama. The San Antonio big man had 34 points and 18 rebounds while going 16-for-17 from the foul line. Jamal Murray had 15 points and 10 assists, Cam Johnson contributed 17 points, Aaron Gordon had 15 points and Tim Hardaway Jr. added 10 points for the Nuggets, who rarely led until taking over in overtime and rallied from a six-point deficit with 1:39 left in regulation. Stephon Castle had 20 points, Devin Vassell and Julian Champagnie scored 18 apiece, De’Aaron Fox contributed 14 points, Dylan Harper had 12 points and Keldon Johnson 10 points for the Spurs, who had won 27 of 29 entering the game. Pistons 116, 76ers 93 Tobias Harris scored 19 points and Daniss Jenkins contributed 16 points and 14 assists as Detroit clinched the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference with a road win over Philadelphia. Jalen Duren chipped in with 16 points for Detroit, which will have home-court advantage in the East for the first time since 2007. The Pistons improved to 8-2 since Cade Cunningham sustained a collapsed lung, although the team’s star guard is expected to return late in the regular season. Philadelphia, which entered with eight wins in its last 11 games, shot just 34.2% in the second half and managed only 33 points after intermission. Tyrese Maxey (23 points) and Paul George (20) were the top scorers for the Sixers, who played without Joel Embiid in the second half of a back-to-back. Heat 152, Wizards 136 Jaime Jaquez Jr. scored a season-high 32 points and Kel’el Ware matched his career high of seven blocks, leading host Miami to a win over Washington. Ware also scored 24 points and grabbed a game-high 19 rebounds for the Heat, who pulled away in the second quarter led by as many as 35 points before pulling their starters on the way to the third 150-point game in franchise history. Washington, which has lost 21 of its past 22 games, was led by Will Riley’s 31 points on 12-for-17 shooting. The Wizards also got 20 points from Sharife Cooper and 19 points from Jaden Hardy. =================================================================== MLB MLB ROUNDUP: JO ADELL ROBS 3 HOMERS, ANGELS EKE OUT WIN OVER MARINERS Jo Adell robbed three Mariners of homers and Zach Neto hit a leadoff homer in the first to lead the Los Angeles Angels to a 1-0 victory over Seattle on Saturday night at Anaheim, Calif. Adell robbed Cal Raleigh in the first inning, Josh Naylor in the eighth and J.P. Crawford in the ninth with stellar grabs in right field as the Angels won for just the second time in the past seven games. The last one was challenged as he fell over the short wall in the right field corner into the stands while making the catch but upheld. Jack Kochanowicz (1-0) allowed four hits over 5 2/3 scoreless innings for Los Angeles, which got two hits from Neto including his 10th career leadoff homer. Emerson Hancock (1-1) allowed one run on six hits over 6 2/3 innings. Julio Rodriguez had two of the Mariners’ five hits, but Raleigh remains homerless through nine games after smashing 60 last season. Yankees 9, Marlins 7 Giancarlo Stanton hit a tiebreaking two-run single with two outs in the eighth inning and New York continued its hot start by hanging on for a victory over visiting Miami. Cody Bellinger contributed to the Yankees erasing a four-run deficit through four innings by driving in three runs. Judge (2-for-4, two runs) was the lone Yankee with multiple hits as New York collected six hits, but drew ten walks from Miami pitchers. Brett Headrick (1-0) recorded the win by ending the top of the eighth after Javier Sanoja’s game-tying double. Edwards went 3-for-4 with two runs scored and an RBI single in the ninth for the Marlins, who saw Michael Peterson (1-1) take the loss. Pirates 3, Orioles 2 Nick Yorke hit the game-winning double in the ninth as host Pittsburgh rallied past Baltimore. Dennis Santana (2-0) was the winning pitcher with an inning of shutout relief. Yorke delivered the deciding hit off Ryan Helsley (0-1) to end the game. Pirates starter Carmen Mlodzinski lasted 4 2/3 innings, allowing two runs on five hits. Adley Rutschman had two of Baltimore’s six singles. The Orioles scored two runs in the fourth on singles by Dylan Beavers and Leody Taveras. Baltimore led until the eighth. Orioles starter Shane Baz held the Pirates to one unearned run on three hits in 5 2/3 innings. Tigers 11, Cardinals 6 Kerry Carpenter, Zach McKinstry and Matt Vierling hit two-run homers and host Detroit slugged its way to a victory over St. Louis. The game was called after 8 1/3 innings due to inclement weather and poor field conditions. Carpenter, McKinstry and Vierling drove in three runs apiece. Gleyber Torres had two hits, including a homer, and scored twice. Brant Hunter (1-0) picked up the win, tossing one inning of scoreless relief. Jordan Walker hit a grand slam and drove in five for the Cardinals. Starter Dustin May (0-2) gave up seven runs and seven hits in 3 1/3 innings. White Sox 6, Blue Jays 3 Munetaka Murakami and Colson Montgomery homered to key a go-ahead sixth-inning rally and Miguel Vargas added two hits as host Chicago defeated Toronto. Murakami drove in three runs and Vargas scored a pair. Chris Murphy (1-0) got the win, allowing one run and two hits in one inning of relief. Seranthony Dominguez worked around a leadoff walk and pinch-hit single in the ninth to pick up his first save. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. smacked his first home run of the season, a two-run blast to left-center in the sixth to give the Jays a short-lived 2-1 lead. Reliever Brendon Little (0-2) gave up three runs in the bottom of the inning. Brewers 5, Royals 2 (Game 1) Garrett Mitchell doubled, homered, and racked up five RBIs for visiting Milwaukee in a win over Kansas City. Luis Rengifo was 2-for-5 with two doubles and a run, and Christian Yelich was 2-for-5 with two runs for the Brewers. Brewers starting pitcher Chad Patrick (1-0) picked up the win as he went five innings and gave up four hits. Trevor Megill threw a scoreless ninth inning to earn his second save of the season. Luinder Avila (0-1) took the loss for the Royals, as he only lasted three innings, surrendering eight hits and five runs. Jac Caglianone was 2-for-3 with a walk, and Lane Thomas and Bobby Witt Jr. each had an RBI for the Royals. Royals 8, Brewers 2 (Game 2) Salvador Perez’s sixth-inning home run ignited the Kansas City offense to split a doubleheader with visiting Milwaukee. The Royals sent 12 batters to the plate in the decisive six-run frame, nine of those with two outs. Nick Mears (1-0) picked up the win in relief for Kansas City after one inning of work. Eli Morgan pitched the final three innings to notch his first save. Maikel Garcia was 3-for-5 with a double, a run and an RBI, while Carter Jensen was 2-for-3 with a run, a double, two RBIs and a walk. Brandon Sproat (0-1) was saddled with the loss as he pitched 3 2/3 innings of relief, surrendering four hits and four runs. Brice Turang and Garrett Mitchell drove in the Brewers’ runs. Phillies 2, Rockies 1 Jesus Luzardo pitched strongly into the seventh, striking out 11 and Trea Turner had two hits with the game-winning RBI in Philadelphia’s win over Colorado in Denver. Luzardo (1-1) allowed just one run on five hits over 6 2/3 innings to bounce back from a rough first start. Jhoan Duran retired the side in order in the ninth for his third save to secure Philadelphia’s fourth consecutive win. Kyle Schwarber also drove in a run with an RBI double as the game’s second batter. Brett Sullivan had two hits and the lone RBI for Colorado, which is 1-4 in one-run games. Rockies batters fanned 13 times and drew only one walk. Chase Dollander (1-1) struck out six in 4 1/3 innings of relief work, but took the loss. Dodgers 10, Nationals 5 Andy Pages slugged a three-run homer among his three hits, Freddie Freeman doubled twice and drove in four runs, and visiting Los Angeles beat Washington. Will Smith also had three hits and Shohei Ohtani, Kyle Tucker and Alex Call each had two of the Dodgers’ 16 hits. Pages leads the majors in hits while batting .500 (15-for-30). Los Angeles star shortstop Mookie Betts exited in the middle of the first inning of the game due to right lower back pain and was replaced by Miguel Rojas. CJ Abrams hit a two-run homer and Luis Garcia Jr. went 3-for-4 with an RBI for Washington, which lost its fourth straight and has been outscored 23-11 in the first two games of the weekend series. Padres 3, Red Sox 2 Ramon Laureano’s two-out RBI single in the top of the ninth inning propelled visiting San Diego to a win over Boston. The Padres found two-out magic to take the lead for good, as Fernando Tatis Jr. ripped a double over Ceddanne Rafaela’s head in center field to set the stage for Laureano’s heroic knock. San Diego got six one-run innings from Randy Vasquez, with Adrian Morejon (1-0) recording the win despite blowing a save opportunity. Rafaela and Roman Anthony each had two hits for the Red Sox, who saw closer Aroldis Chapman take his first loss of the season. Diamondbacks 2, Braves 1 Michael Soroka threw five strong innings against his former team and Arizona scored a pair of unearned runs to earn a victory over Atlanta in Phoenix. After Gabriel Moreno and Nolan Arenado singled in the bottom of the second, Jose Fernandez laid down a bunt and Bryce Elder’s errant throw sailed into right field, allowing both runners to score. Soroka (2-0) allowed one run on four hits and four relievers followed up with a perfect inning apiece, with the staff retiring the final 14 Braves batters. Dominic Smith knocked in the Braves’ only run with a second-inning single, and Matt Olson’s third-inning double was the only extra-base hit of the game. Elder (1-1) took the loss despite allowing no earned runs on four hits over seven innings of work. Reds 2, Rangers 0 Rhett Lowder pitched six shutout innings to lead Cincinnati to a win over Texas in Arlington, Texas. Lowder (1-0) allowed three hits, with only one baserunner reaching second base against him. Cincinnati plated the only two runs of the game in the first inning on RBI singles from Elly De La Cruz and Sal Stewart. Rangers starter Kumar Rocker (0-1) went five innings, giving up two earned runs on six hits in his first start of the season. Texas put runners on the corners in the ninth against Reds closer Emilio Pagan before Evan Carter struck out to end the game. Rays 7, Twins 1 Jonathan Aranda and Yandy Diaz drove in two runs apiece, and Tampa Bay cruised to a win over host Minnesota. Ben Williamson and Hunter Feduccia added one RBI apiece for the Rays, who got six innings of two-hit, one-run work on the mound from Steven Matz (2-0). Cedric Mullins and Chandler Simpson finished with two hits apiece. Brooks Lee drove in the lone run for Minnesota. The Twins managed only three hits, none of which went for extra bases, with Mick Abel (0-2) allowing four runs over as many innings in his start. Astros 11, Athletics 0 Christian Walker and Cam Smith hit homers and Houston recorded 18 hits as it blasted the Athletics in West Sacramento, Calif. Tatsuya Imai (1-0) threw 5 2/3 scoreless innings to earn his first career major league win. Walker, Joey Loperfido, Yainer Diaz and Christian Vazquez led the way for the Astros with three hits and two RBIs each. Athletics starter Luis Morales (0-2) gave up five runs in three-plus innings, allowing eight hits and six walks. Max Muncy had two of the Athletics’ five hits. Mets 9, Giants 0 Tyrone Taylor capped a five-run fifth inning with a pinch-hit home run, Clay Holmes threw seven shutout innings and visiting New York made it two straight blowouts over San Francisco with its first shutout of the season. Mark Vientos had three hits and scored twice, and Taylor had four RBI off the bench for New York, which saw Holmes allow just three hits over his extended outing. Tobias Myers retired all six batters he faced to preserve the shutout. Corner infielders Matt Chapman and Jerar Encarnacion, both of whom were charged with errors on Carson Benge’s groundball that plated two runs in the second inning, had hits for the Giants, who saw starter Landen Roupp (1-1) roughed up to the tune of seven runs (five earned) over 4 2/3 innings. =================================================================== NHL NHL ROUNDUP: DESPITE LOSS, SABRES END NHL-RECORD 14-YEAR PLAYOFF DROUGHT Despite taking a 6-2 loss to the host Washington Capitals on Saturday, the Buffalo Sabres ended their NHL-record 14-year postseason drought on Saturday thanks to Detroit’s regulation loss to the New York Rangers earlier in the day. Logan Thompson made 37 saves for Washington in the convincing win. Jakob Chychrun, Aliaksei Protas and Connor McMichael each had a goal and an assist for the Capitals, who have won four of their past five games. Washington took a 3-0 lead in just over two and a half minutes early in the first. Rasmus Dahlin had a goal and an assist and Beck Malenstyn scored for the Sabres, who are even on points for second place in the Atlantic Division. Canadiens 4, Devils 3 (SO) Oliver Kapanen scored in the fifth round of the shootout to extend Montreal’s win streak to eight games with a victory over New Jersey in Newark, N.J. Cole Caufield failed to find his 50th goal of the season, but tallied a pair of assists in the win. Ivan Demidov, Jayden Struble, and Lane Hutson all scored for the Canadiens, who got 35 saves from Jakub Dobes. Jack Hughes, Timo Meier and Dawson Mercer all scored for the Devils, with Jake Allen stopping 26 shots. Avalanche 2, Stars 0 Martin Necas and Nathan MacKinnon scored goals in the final 9:21 to break a scoreless tie and help visiting Colorado blank Dallas in a battle of the top two Western Conference teams. MacKinnon added to his league lead with his 52nd goal on an empty-netter after Necas netted his career-high 36th goal. Scott Wedgewood made 17 saves for his third shutout of the season. Casey DeSmith made 20 saves for the Stars, who fell to 3-6-2 since a 14-0-1 run skyrocketed them up the standings. Kings 7, Maple Leafs 6 (OT) Quinton Byfield scored his second goal of the game at 2:33 of overtime to lift Los Angeles past visiting Toronto. The Kings took a 6-4 lead with three goals in 1:36 of the third period, and Toronto rallied to tie the game. Adrian Kempe had two goals and two assists for the Kings. Artemi Panarin added a goal and two assists while Samuel Helenius and Alex Laferriere also scored. Matthew Knies had two goals and an assist and John Tavares had a goal and two assists for the Maple Leafs. Steven Lorentz, Easton Cowan and Nicholas Robertson also scored. Joseph Woll made 33 saves. Penguins 9, Panthers 4 Evgeni Malkin recorded his first hat trick in more than four years, Sidney Crosby climbed ahead of Steve Yzerman in the record books and a six-goal second period moved Pittsburgh two points closer to a playoff spot as the Penguins walloped visiting Florida. A dozen players registered at least a point for Pittsburgh, with Crosby’s two assists giving him 1,756 career points, placing him one ahead of Yzerman for seventh on the NHL all-time points list. Malkin’s hat trick was the 14th of his career. Arturs Silovs stopped 19 shots for the Penguins. A.J. Greer had a goal and an assist, while Seth Jones, Noah Gregor and Mackie Samoskevich also scored for the Panthers, whose three-peat hopes officially came to an end as they became the first Stanley Cup defending champion to miss the ensuing season’s playoffs since the Los Angeles Kings in 2015. Jets 2, Blue Jackets 1 Kyle Connor scored twice as visiting Winnipeg defeated Columbus. The loss prevented the Blue Jackets from gaining ground in the Eastern Conference playoff race, leaving them tied with Ottawa, Detroit and Philadelphia, with the Senators holding the tiebreaker for the final wild-card spot on regulation wins. Conversely, the victory kept the Jets firmly in the mix for the Western Conference’s final wild-card spot. Mark Scheifele picked up both primary assists for Winnipeg. Connor Hellebuyck made 15 saves for the Jets. Ivan Provorov scored the lone goal for the Blue Jackets, who have lost six straight games. Columbus’ Jet Greaves made 23 stops. Golden Knights 5, Oilers 1 Defenseman Jeremy Lauzon and forward Brett Howden had a goal and an assist each to lead Vegas to a win over host Edmonton which moved the Golden Knights just a point back of the Pacific Division lead. Colton Sissons, captain Mark Stone and defenseman Rasmus Andersson also scored for the Golden Knights, who won their third straight under new coach John Tortorella thanks in part to 31 saves from Carter Hart. Defenseman Evan Bouchard got the goal for the Oilers, who had their five-game winning streak snapped and remain tied on points for the Pacific Division lead with the Anaheim Ducks. Hurricanes 4, Islanders 3 Seth Jarvis scored two goals to go with an assist in host Carolina’s victory against New York. The Hurricanes never led until Sebastian Aho’s short-handed goal with 3:43 remaining in the second period. Jackson Blake also scored for the Canes and K’Andre Miller had two assists. Brandon Bussi made 13 saves to improve his record to 29-6-1. Marc Gatcomb, Max Shabanov and Anders Lee had the goals for the Islanders, who have a four-game losing streak for the first time this season. llya Sorokin, playing in his 11th consecutive game, stopped 36 shots. Predators 6, Sharks 3 Tyson Jost set up the game winner, the insurance marker and added an empty-netter in the third period as visiting Nashville doubled up San Jose to move into the second wild-card spot in the Western Conference. Filip Forsberg scored twice and added an assist, while Steven Stamkos, Ryan O’Reilly and Erik Haula also scored for the Predators. Juuse Saros made 24 saves. Nick Leddy scored and added an assist, and Macklin Celebrini and Alexander Wennberg scored for the Sharks, who erased a 3-0 first-period deficit but had their four-game winning streak snapped. Lightning 3, Bruins 1 Darren Raddysh’s game winner also broke a franchise record as Tampa Bay closed its seven-game homestand with a three-goal third period in a win over Boston. Raddysh netted his 21st goal with 5:31 remaining, marking the most goals by a Lightning defenseman in a single season. Tampa Bay, which also got 21 saves from Andrei Vasilevskiy, clinched its ninth straight playoff appearance before taking the ice due to other Saturday results. Casey Mittelstadt tallied for the Bruins, who are 0-2-0 on their four-game road trip. Goalie Jeremy Swayman stopped 20 shots. Blackhawks 4, Kraken 2 Sacha Boisvert scored his first NHL goal as Chicago defeated host Seattle, further damaging the Kraken’s dwindling playoff hopes. Ilya Mikheyev had a goal and an assist, Teuvo Teravainen and Tyler Bertuzzi also tallied, and Wyatt Kaiser had two assists for the Blackhawks, reduced to the role of spoiler after being eliminated from postseason contention with a 3-1 loss Thursday at Edmonton. Goaltender Arvid Soderblom made 25 saves. Jaden Schwartz had a goal and an assist and Kaapo Kakko also scored for the Kraken, who lost their fourth in a row and for the eighth time in their past nine games to drop into seventh place in the Western Conference’s wild-card playoff race, six points out of the final spot. Mammoth 7, Canucks 4 Clayton Keller collected his third career hat trick in a four-point game to lead visiting Utah to a victory over cellar-dwelling Vancouver. Dylan Guenther and Lawson Crouse both scored once and added an assist for the Mammoth, who pulled closer to clinching a playoff berth. Linus Karlsson scored twice while Jake DeBrusk and Marco Rossi added single tallies for the Canucks, who have lost eight of nine games. Flames 5, Ducks 3 Morgan Frost scored twice while Joel Farabee and Matvei Gridin both collected one goal and one assist to lead visiting Calgary to an upset of slumping Anaheim. Goaltender Devin Cooley made 36 saves and held strong while the Ducks frantically pushed for the equalizer in a comeback that fell short after the Flames scored four straight goals to take a 4-1 lead into the third period. Beckett Sennecke, Leo Carlsson and Mason McTavish scored for Anaheim, which is winless in five games (0-4-1) and squandered a chance to move back atop the Pacific Division. Rangers 4, Red Wings 1 Rookie Gabe Perreault scored twice in the third period to deliver his first career hat trick as New York shut down visiting Detroit. Jaroslav Chmelar also scored a goal, Adam Fox had two assists and Jonathan Quick narrowly missed a shutout, making 31 saves for the Rangers and allowing his only goal with 33 seconds left. David Perron scored a goal and John Gibson made 16 saves for the Red Wings, who have lost five of seven to hinder their playoff chances. Wild 4, Senators 1 Ryan Hartman scored twice for Minnesota in a win against Ottawa in Saint Paul, Minn. Jonas Brodin and Jake Middleton also scored, Mats Zuccarello had two assists and Jesper Wallstedt made 33 saves for the Wild, who have won two straight for the first time in a month. Drake Batherson scored a late goal and Linus Ullmark made 19 saves for the Senators, who remain in the second and final wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference despite having lost four of five. =================================================================== GOLF LAUREN COUGHLIN LEADS, BUT NELLY KORDA MAKES PUSH AT ARAMCO On Saturday, Lauren Coughlin wasn’t quite as sharp as she had been over the first two rounds of the Aramco Championship in Las Vegas, but her 1-over-par 73 was still good enough to keep her ahead of the field with a round to go. Coughlin settled in at 7-under-par 209 after a round that saw her endure four bogeys to go along with three birdies. That was in sharp contrast to her first two rounds at Shadow Creek Golf Course, in which she fired 12 total birdies in building a five-shot lead. “I felt like I did a pretty good job today of at least getting in spots, and if (() did get a little out, making sure I walked away with no worse than bogey,” Coughlin said. “As you’ve probably seen, this golf course is really, really hard.” Perhaps the bigger story on Saturday was the push of fellow American Nelly Korda, the No. 2 player in the world, who carded a 3-under 69 to get to within two strokes of Coughlin going into the final round on Sunday. Back-to-back birdies on Holes 17 and 18 propelled Korda closer to the lead. “It’s good momentum, but tomorrow is just going to be another beast of a day,” Korda said. Low scores have indeed been in short supply at the wind-swept course through three rounds. Korda’s four-birdie, single-bogey round left her as one of just three golfers to break 70, a day after Coughlin was one of just two players to score 69 or better. “It’s a very hard golf course, and I think with the wind the past couple days it hasn’t really helped us,” Korda said. “In fact, it’s so firm, too, so it’s very hard to stop golf balls. You’re almost just playing for a run-up. “So, there is no really advantage to being a longer hitter maybe. It’s all just about placement here.” Denmark’s Nanna Koerstz Madsen and Japan’s Miyu Yamashita shot matching 71s to remain in contention, tied for third at 3 under for the tournament. Yamashita was a co-leader after one round, then managed a 75 on Day 2. Koerstz Madsen, who balanced four birdies against three bogeys, called the course conditions “fun.” “It’s been fun. I like it here at Shadow,” she said. “It’s a great golf course. It challenges every part of the game. No, I’ve had a lot of fun out there.” Emblematic of the higher scores, Ireland’s Leona Maguire has yet to break 70, but she’s in fifth place at 1 under after her 2-over 74. The inaugural Aramco Championship, co-sanctioned by the LPGA and Ladies European Tour, features a purse of $4 million and replaces the T-Mobile Match Play event on the schedule. ROBERT MACINTYRE MAINTAINS LEAD AT WEATHER-SHORTENED VALERO TEXAS OPEN THIRD ROUND Scotland’s Robert MacIntyre maintained the lead during the storm-interrupted Valero Texas Open’s third round Saturday in San Antonio. MacIntyre was 1 under through six holes, putting him at 15 under for the tournament and holding a two-stroke edge on Sweden’s Ludvig Aberg at TPC San Antonio’s Oaks Course. Aberg was 3 under for the round through six holes. No golfers completed the third round, which will resume Sunday morning. The third round was suspended late Saturday morning because of storms. There were multiple announced restart times, but the weather prevented those from taking place before the decision to not return to the course Saturday. A pair of Englishmen made the biggest moves before the weather interfered. Matt Wallace was 7 under through 14 holes, moving to 11 under for the tournament. Marco Penge also completed 14 holes, doing so in 6 under to move to a tie for fifth place at 10 under. Japan’s Ryo Hisatune is tied with Wallace in third place after finishing eight holes at 3 under Saturday. Chris Kirk, Chandler Phillips, Michael Kim and Tony Finau — all only completing holes on the front side — were all at 10 under. MacIntyre carried a four-shot lead into the weekend. At 14 through two rounds, MacIntrye held the lowest opening 36-hole total since the tournament moved to TPC San Antonio. MacIntrye is bidding to become the third consecutive left-hander to win the tournament following Akshay Bhatia in 2024 and Brian Harman in 2025. Aberg had top-five finishes in his last two PGA Tour outings. Defending champion Brian Harman shot 3 under through 11 holes Saturday to move to 6 under. Play also was suspended Friday in the second round. Luke Clanton had to play his final hole Saturday morning before the third round began, and he made the cut. The third round was pushed up a couple of hours in hopes of avoiding weather problems, but those weren’t averted. =================================================================== INDIANA SPORTS TEAM RELEASES INDIANA PACERS GAME PREVIEW: PACERS AT CAVALIERS Just five games remain in the 2025-26 Pacers season as Indiana (18-59) prepares to wrap up a three-game road trip on Sunday in Cleveland against Donovan Mitchell and the Cavaliers (48-29). The Cavs won all three meetings earlier this season — including two games at Gainbridge Fieldhouse — and will be going for the season series sweep on Sunday. This will be the first time the Pacers face the Cavs since Cleveland acquired All-Star guard James Harden from the Clippers on Feb. 4. The Pacers saw a two-game win streak snapped on Friday night in Charlotte, falling to the Hornets, 128-109. After erupting for an average of 140 points per game during their wins over the Heat and Bulls, the Pacers managed just 109 points in Charlotte. 30 of those points came from All-Star forward Pascal Siakam, but he exited late in the contest with a bruised lower back and did not return. His status for Sunday is uncertain. The Pacers are banged up to end the season. They had just 10 active players on Friday with starters Andrew Nembhard, Aaron Nesmith, and Jarace Walker as well as veteran backup T.J. McConnell all sidelined. Head coach Rick Carlisle said that both Siakam and Ben Sheppard (hip) were injured during Friday’s game, meaning the Pacers could be even more shorthanded on Sunday. The Cavs are trying to lock up homecourt advantage in the first round of the playoffs. They are in fourth place in the East as of Saturday morning, 3.5 games clear of Atlanta. Cleveland could still catch New York and move up to third — the Cavs currently trail the Knicks by 1.5 games. Cleveland has won seven of its last nine games and will be well-rested on Sunday. The Cavs last played Thursday, wrapping up a three-game road trip with a 118-111 win at Golden State. Mitchell leads the Cavs and ranks seventh in the NBA in scoring at 27.7 points per game. Harden has been a major addition to Cleveland’s playoff push, giving the Cavs a clear number-two option. Over 23 games in Cleveland, the 10-time All-Star is averaging 20.2 points and 8.0 assists while shooting 48 percent from the field, 43.9 percent from 3-point range, and 82.4 percent from the free throw line. Probable Starters Pacers: G – Quenton Jackson, G – Ben Sheppard, F – Kobe Brown, F – Pascal Siakam, C – Jay Huff Cavaliers: G – James Harden, G – Donovan Mitchell, F – Max Strus, F – Evan Mobley, C – Jarrett Allen Injury Report Pacers: Pascal SIakam – TBA (lower back bruise), Obi Toppin – probable (right foot injury management), Johnny Furphy – out (right ACL tear), Tyrese Haliburton – out (right Achilles tendon tear), T.J. McConnell – out (sore right hamstring ), Andrew Nembhard – out (lower back injury management) Aaron Nesmith – questionable (cervical strain), Jarace Walker – out (lower back bruise), Ivica Zubac – out (rib fracture) Cavaliers: TBA Last Meeting Jan. 6, 2026: The Cavaliers beat the Pacers 120-116 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Indiana led for most of the contest after scoring 60 points in the first half. But Cleveland rallied and eventually surged ahead thanks to a 13-2 run midway through the fourth quarter and held on for the win. Pascal Siakam led six Pacers in double figures in the loss with 22 points. Jay Huff added 20 points on 4-of-7 3-point shooting, while Andrew Nembhard recorded a double-double with 15 points and 11 assists. Darius Garland scored a game-high 29 points for Cleveland, going 14-for-23 from the field while also dishing out six assists. Evan Mobley stuffed the stat sheet with 20 points, six rebounds, five assists, two blocks, and two steals. Jarrett Allen had a double-double with 19 points and 12 rebounds, while Sam Merrill also scored 19 points while going 6-for-10 from 3-point range. Noteworthy If the Cavs win on Sunday, they would sweep a four-game season series with the Pacers for the fourth time ever. The last time Cleveland swept the season series was 2021-22. The Cavaliers roster includes center Thomas Bryant, who was a member of the 2024-25 Eastern Conference champion Pacers. This is the Pacers’ second-to-last road game of the season. Indiana is 7-32 on the road this season. That is the Pacers’ worst road record since they went 7-34 in 1985-86. Broadcast Information (Where to Watch and Listen to Pacers Games >>) TV: 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 (studio host) =================================================================== INDIANAPOLIS INDIANS INDIANS DROP RAIN-SHORTENED CONTEST AT COLUMBUS COLUMBUS, Ohio – Billy Cook and Davis Wendzel recorded their first home runs of the season with the Indianapolis Indians losing to the Columbus Clippers, 7-5, in seven innings on Saturday afternoon at Huntington Park. The game was called with one out in the top of the seventh inning following a weather delay. The Indians (1-7) jumped out with a three-run first inning. Cook led off the game with a base hit and two batters later, Esmerlyn Valdez doubled him home for a 1-0 lead. An RBI groundout from Jhostynxon Garcia and RBI single from Alika Williams extended the advantage to three. The Clippers (6-2) rebounded to tie the game in their half of the first frame. Cook broke the 3-3 tie with his first longball of the campaign, taking Ryan Webb deep into left center field for a solo shot in the fourth inning. Columbus’ Cooper Ingle knotted the game again with a solo blast of his own to lead off the bottom of the fourth. The Clippers went on to a 7-4 lead before the inning concluded. Wendzel hit his first homer to lead off the top of the seventh inning. Following a strikeout from Williams, the game entered the delay and was later called. Antwone Kelly (L, 0-2) went 4.0 innings, allowing a career-high tying seven runs and career-high 10 hits. Mike Clevinger relieved him, tossing 2.0 scoreless innings before the game ended. Clippers starter Ryan Webb allowed four runs over 3.2 innings and Tommy Mace (W, 1-0) covered the final 2.2 innings, only allowing the home run to Wendzel. Indianapolis and Columbus conclude their six-game series on Sunday afternoon from Huntington Park at 1:05 PM ET. RHP Thomas Harrington (0-1, 5.79) is set for his second start of the season while LHP Logan Allen (1-0, 1.80) takes the mound for the Clippers. =================================================================== INDY ELEVEN RECAP – IND 1:1 PIT Indianapolis – Indy Eleven midfielder Jack Blake tied the franchise record with his 27th career goal in the Boys in Blue’s 1-1 draw vs. defending USL champion Pittsburgh Riverhounds at Carroll Stadium. In his 200th career USL Championship regular-season match, Blake put Indy Eleven on top by converting his franchise-best 11th consecutive penalty kick for the Boys in Blue in the 20th minute. Blake tied Eamon Zayed for the top spot all-time in club history. It is Blake’s 43rd career goal in USL-C regular-season play and it was his second goal in two matches this week. In his first appearance of 2026, he scored Tuesday vs. Union Omaha in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. Indy Eleven goalkeeper Eric Dick made a season-high seven saves in the match against the team that he helped lead to the 2025 title, winning the USL Championship MVP and Prinx Playoff MVP after allowing no goals in 450 minutes in four playoff games. The Boys in Blue continue their three-match homestand next Saturday at 7 p.m. at Carroll Stadium vs. Monterey Bay FC in the annual “Kick for a Cause” game. Susan G. Komen®, the world’s leading breast cancer organization, is the spotlight partner. The match is part of the 2026 Scarf Series, so fans can purchase a ticket + knit scarf here. Ticket options available include Family Four-Packs, pro-rated Season Tickets, and Flex Mini-Plans. The Family Four-Pack is available for all 2026 home games and it can be purchased online only. Priced at just $49, the Family Four-Pack includes four tickets, FREE parking, $20 in Concession Vouchers, and a 20% Merchandise Discount, along with access to the Fun Zone/Kids Activation Area. Season Ticket Benefits (starting at $13.50 per game) include Season Parking Pass, unlimited ticket exchanges, and a 20% discount on all Indy Eleven merchandise. Flex Mini Plans include vouchers to be redeemed for any 2026 regular season home match. For questions, call (317) 685-1100 during business hours or email tickets@indyeleven.com. USL Championship Indy Eleven 1:1 Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC Sat., Apr. 4, 2026 – 7:00 p.m. Carroll Stadium | Indianapolis Weather: Cloudy, 53 degrees Attendance: 8,304 2026 USL Championship Records Indy Eleven: 1-1-2 (0), 5 pts, #8 in Eastern Conference Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC: 2-2-1 (-2), 7 pts, #7 in Eastern Conference Score 1 2 F Indy Eleven 1 0 1 Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC 0 1 1 Scoring Summary IND – Jack Blake (penalty) 20’ PIT – Eliot Goldthorp 90+1’ Discipline Summary PIT– Victor Souza (caution) 36’ IND – Bruno Rendón (caution) 39’ IND – Noble Okello (caution) 74’ Indy Eleven Line-Up: Eric Dick, Aodhan Quinn (captain), Paco Craig, Anthony Herbert, Hayden White, Cam Lindley, Josh O’Brien, Loïc Mesanvi, Noble Okello, Jack Blake (Dylan Sing 82’), Bruno Rendón. Indy Eleven Subs Not Used: Logan Neidlinger, Edward Kizza, Makel Rasheed, Reice Charles-Cook, Mikah Thomas, Hesron Barry. Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC Line-Up: Nico Campuzano, Victor Souza, Lasse Kelp, Owen Mikoy, Junior Etou (Eliot Goldthorp 68’), Danny Griffin (captain), Bradley Sample (Robbie Mertz 77’), Perrin Barnes (Max Viera 82’), Charles Ahl, Sam Bassett, Albert Dikwa. Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC Subs Not Used: Trevor Amann, Mitch Budler, Warren Agostoni, Aldi Flowers-Gamboa, Illal Osumanu, Jackson Walti. =================================================================== INDY IGNITE REFRESHED IGNITE ROUT OMAHA IN FIRST MATCH AFTER ALL-STAR BREAK OMAHA, Neb. (April 4, 2026) – The Major League Volleyball all-star break was just what the Indy Ignite needed to catch fire again. With a chance to rest, add needed roster depth and fine-tune their game, the Ignite returned to action Saturday with a thunderous sweep of Omaha at CHI Health Center. The 25-21, 25-19, 25-21 triumph moved Indy’s record to a shimmering 16-4 as the Ignite retained sole possession of first place and edged closer to securing an MLV postseason berth. The Ignite, who lost two of their last three matches before the break, looked refreshed and reinvigorated, dominating the Supernovas on their home court. Omaha (11-11) never led by more than two points in any set, and the latest the hosts led in any set was 7-6 in the first and third stanzas. The Ignite went on mid-set runs of 8-2 (first), 9-3 (second) and 8-2 (third) to create separation and kept the Supernovas at arm’s length each time to complete the victory in straight sets. “We’ve had a pretty rough four to five games (prior to the all-star break),” Ignite head coach Lauren Bertolacci said, “and we’ve been doing a great job of acknowledging that, working really hard and getting better in a lot of areas. It was nice to see that being executed a little bit more today. I thought we had much better fluidity. We were much more aggressive in our attack situations, but also quite intelligent and we put on a lot of serve pressure. So, it was all around a very good game from us.” Very good indeed. The Indy attack was hitting on all cylinders from all areas, connecting on 45.9% of kill attempts at 35.7% efficiency. Outside hitter Anna DeBeer led the way with 16 kills on 36 attempts (44.4% hitting, 36.1% efficiency), followed by opposite hitter Azhani Tealer with 13 kills in 21 tries (61.9% hitting, 42.9% efficiency) and outside hitter Leketor Member-Meneh with 10 kills in 21 attempts (47.6% hitting, 38.1% efficiency). Middle blocker Cara Cresse logged an impressive 5-for-7 kills stat line with no errors, along with three blocks. As usual, setter Mia Tuaniga orchestrated the symphonic attack with 37 assists while adding nine digs and two service aces. Libero Elena Scott handed out five assists to go with her eight digs and usual adept passing. DeBeer credited the extra rest and practice time with helping the Ignite regain the form that saw them race to a 14-2 start this season, including a franchise-best eight-match winning streak. “Just having a little bit of a break (helped) and then coming in ready to go that next day,” the second-year pro from Louisville said. “When we all came in together (to resume practice), everyone was working hard, and the stuff that we’ve been working on since then really was showing out tonight.” Bertolacci agreed. “Rest is so important and it’s very hard to come by,” she said, “just physically as well as mentally. I think that was really key for us.” The Ignite coach was also pleased with middle blocker Emma Clothier in her Indy debut. With but a few practices under her belt after joining the team this week from playing in the Italian Serie A league, Clothier’s stat line wasn’t impressive (one kill, zero blocks) but she brought the intangibles that made her worth signing at the injury-depleted middle position. “Emma was like the unseen hero,” Bertolacci said. “I think she probably has the worst stats on our team from that game, but her game management today was phenomenal. From a really keen eye of volleyball, I saw so many little touches on the net, balls that were falling over the net she got digs on, defended well, served well, really provided a lot of stability. “With the shakeups that we’ve had in the middle, that has really been lacking, so I thought her game was exactly what we needed,” the head coach added. “And I know based on what I’ve seen from her in Europe that her attacking game will progress and will help us as well.” The Ignite match Thursday at San Diego will be telecast live on CBS Sports Network at 10 p.m. ET. Indy’s next home match is Sunday, April 12 against Atlanta. For tickets and more information, visit IndyIgniteVB.com. ================================================================== IU SOFTBALL HOOSIERS DROP GAME TWO AT NO. 9 UCLA LOS ANGELES, Calif. ––– After a 1-1 battle through the opening three frames, No. 9 UCLA used a pair of home runs and a bases-clearing double in the latter three innings to pull away and win game two of the Big Ten series in Westwood. In the final tally, Indiana fell to UCLA, 7-2, on Saturday (April 4) at Easton Stadium. With the loss, Indiana is now 27-9 on the year and 7-4 in the Big Ten. GAME 2: No. 9 UCLA 7, INDIANA 2 *UCLA leads the series, 2-0 KEY MOMENTS • Indiana nearly struck first in the top of the first inning when Alex Cooper singled to right field and reached third base on an error in the game’s second at bat. • UCLA threatened with two runners on and only one out in the bottom of the first, but Indiana used a 5-4-3 double play to get out of the inning unscathed. • Megan Grant opened the scoring in the bottom of the third when she hit a home run to left field to put UCLA up 1-0. • Indiana used a home run of its own to tie the game at 1-1 when Ellie Goins homered off the foul pole in left in the top of the fourth. • UCLA regained the lead in the bottom of the fourth with a bases loaded walk to put the Bruins up 2-1. Then, Madalyn Strader made a clutch catch in foul territory to prevent any more runs and keep it at a 1-run game. • The Bruins built on the lead in the bottom of the fifth when Grant hit her second solo home run of the day before Aleena Garcia hit a 2-run home run to right field to extend their lead to 5-1. • Indiana would cut into the lead with an RBI double from Hannah Haberstroh in the top of the sixth to score Strader. • Jordan Woolery hit a bases-clearing double to score two more Bruin runs in the bottom of the sixth to solidify the score at 7-2. NOTABLES • Goins’ home run was her fifth of the season. • Haberstroh hit her eighth double and tenth extra base hit of the season. • In Ella Troutt’s 3.1 innings in the circle she only allowed three hits and one run. UP NEXT Indiana and UCLA will finish out their weekend series tomorrow with a 3 p.m. (ET) first pitch at Easton Stadium. ======================================================================= IU BASEBALL LATE LEAD LOST BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – For the second time this week, the Indiana Baseball team (11-19, 4-10 B1G) watched a late lead slip away in the seventh inning or later. IU allowed eight unanswered runs between the sixth and ninth innings as Rutgers (16-14, 5-6 B1G) stormed back for a 9-6 win on Saturday (April 4) evening at Bart Kaufman Field. Graduate student right-handed pitcher Gavin Seebold (L, 1-3), who has been so good with the lead this year, didn’t have his best stuff on Saturday. A leadoff home run in the eighth was followed by an infield single to third base. From there it ballooned as Rutgers shortstop Yomar Carreras tagged the Hoosiers for five RBIs in the final two innings. The loss spoiled a fantastic six-inning quality start from graduate student right-handed pitcher Reagan Rivera. A career day from sophomore outfielder Caleb Koskie helped spark an early offensive burst. He hit a two-run home run in the first inning and provided a two-run double in the fifth inning as IU jumped out to an early 5-1 lead. The Hoosiers had a chance to blow the game open but couldn’t find a big hit with runners in scoring position in the next two frames. Sophomore first baseman Jake Hanley hit a solo home run – his eighth of the year – in the ninth inning. The Hoosiers got six RBIs from batters three through five in the order but got little offensive production from anywhere else. Freshman second baseman Landen Fry had another multi-hit game, his ninth of the season. Koskie’s four hits were a career high for the young outfielder. IU will still have a chance to win the series tomorrow (April 5) as sophomore southpaw Brayton Thomas hits the mound for his eighth start of the year. First pitch is slated for 1 p.m. on B1G+. Scoring Recap Top First Rutgers got off to an early lead with a sacrifice fly from Matt Chatelle. Rutgers 1, Indiana 0 Bottom First It was an early response as Caleb Koskie smashed a two-run home run to take the lead. Indiana 2, Rutgers 1 Bottom Third Cooper Malamazian drove a run home with a sacrifice fly to the left fielder. Indiana 3, Rutgers 1 Bottom Fifth Caleb Koskie looked to have blown the game open with a two-run double down the line in left field. Indiana 5, Rutgers 1 Top Sixth Yomar Carreras slugged a two-run home to get the Scarlet Knights back in the game. Indiana 5, Rutgers 3 Top Eighth Charlie Meglio kickstarted a rally with a solo home run. A two-run double from Carreras gave Rutgers a lead for the first time since the first inning. Rutgers 6, Indiana 5 Top Ninth Carreras put the game away with a three-run blast to right field. Rutgers 9, Indiana 5 Bottom Ninth Jake Hanley hit a solo home run. Rutgers 9, Indiana 6 Top Hoosier Performers #17 Koskie, Caleb 4-5, HR, 2B, 4 RBI, R #2 Denny, Hogan 2-4, 3 R, BB #24 Rivera, Reagan 6.0 IP, 5 H 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 5 K Inside the Box Score • All six of IU’s RBIs came from the three through five hitters in the lineup. • Yomar Carreras supplied seven of Rutgers’ nine RBIs. • IU’s pitching staff compiled 10 strikeouts. In total, the game saw 21 strikeouts. Notes to Know • Sophomore outfielder Caleb Koskie supplied a career high four hits in the Saturday defeat. He’s the fifth member of the sophomore class (Malamazian, Moore, Hanley, Denny) with a four-hit game during their time in Bloomington. In the process, he extended his hitting streak to 11-straight games. • Graduate student right-handed pitcher Reagan Rivera turned in his first quality start of the season. Between him and graduate student left-handed pitcher Tony Neubeck (Friday), IU recorded consecutive quality starts for the first time since a series at Maryland (April 5-6, 2024) two years ago. Up Next A series win is on the line Sunday (April 5) afternoon in Bloomington. First pitch in the rubber match will come at 1 p.m. on B1G+ and will be carried on the Indiana Sports Radio Network via IUHoosiers.com/Audio. =================================================================== PURDUE SOFTBALL WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind.. – The Boilers (25-12, 5-6 Big Ten) fell in game two to the Badgers (21-11, 7-4), after a seventh inning grand slam. With her 74th hit on the year, after going 4-for-4 in the game, Moriah Polar became tied for third in the record book for single-season hits. The Boilers smashed 13 hits as a team, but it wasn’t enough to earn the victory. BOILER BITS Offensive Highlights Moriah Polar: 4-for-4, 3 RBI, 2 R, 2B Maura Condon: 3-for-4, R Khloe Banks: 2-for-4, 2 RBI, 2 R Anna Moore: 1-for-3, RBI, 3B, R Pitching Breakdown Julia Gossett: 6.0 IP, 3 H, 6 R, 5 ER, 6 BB, 3 K, 28 BF Brooke Perez: (L, 6-2) 1.0 IP, 2 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 7 BF The Boilers scored early and often in the beginning of the game, plating six runs in the first two innings. On an RBI triple from Anna Moore and a sacrifice fly from Haley Painter, the Boilers put up two runs in the first inning. After back-to-back scoreless frames from Gossett on the mound, the Boilers added four runs in the bottom of the second. Kylie Franks led off the inning getting hit by a pitch and was brought in on the back of three-straight singles from Maura Condon, Ashlynn Campbell, and Khloe Banks. The bases were still loaded for one of the most dangerous hitters in softball, Moriah Polar, who delivered a three-RBI double to the left-center gap. Polar picked up her 72nd hit of the year, vaulting her into tied for fifth all-time in Purdue’s single-season hits records. In game one of the series with Wisconsin, Polar earned her 70th hit of the year, a feat not achieved by a Boiler in 12 years. Wisconsin scored its first runs of the game in the top of the third on a two-run homer from standout, Hilary Blomberg, but the Boilers rallied in the bottom of the inning plating another run on Campbell’s infield single. Although a Boiler runner interference ended the inning, Polar picked up her 73rd hit of the year, giving her sole possession of fifth in the record book. Wisconsin added a lone run on a solo shot in the top of the fourth and it was a quiet bottom of the inning for Purdue. In the sixth, both sides plated two runs, giving Purdue the 9-6 lead heading into the final frame. In the top of the seventh, Brooke Perez came to the mound for the Boilers, ultimately giving up a grand slam that ended the game. Purdue will play Wisconsin for the series finale tomorrow at 1:00 p.m. est. For updates on Purdue Softball, follow the Boilermakers on Twitter (@PurdueSoftball), Instagram (@purduesoftball), and Facebook (Purdue Softball). ================================================================= NOTRE DAME WBB SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — After a record-breaking campaign for Notre Dame this season, junior Hannah Hidalgo has won the 2026 Nancy Lieberman Award, which is given to the nation’s top point guard, the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame announced on Saturday. Hidalgo is just the second Irish player to earn the honor, joining Skylar Diggins (2012 and 2013). The point guard adds this nod to her already lengthy list of awards this season, including Naismith National Defensive Player of the Year, WBCA National Defensive Player of the Year, ACC Player of the Year and ACC Defensive Player of the Year. She was also named to the USBWA All-America and USA Today All-America First Teams along with making the 10-person Wooden Award All-America Team. En route to a 25-11 season and the program’s first Elite Eight berth since 2019, Hidalgo averaged 25.3 points, 6.9 rebounds, 5.6 steals and 5.2 assists per game, becoming the only women’s or men’s player at the DI level this century to average at least 25 points, five rebounds, five assists and five steals per game over an entire season. She finished the year with 909 points, breaking the Notre Dame and ACC record for single-season scoring. Additionally on the offensive side, the junior now holds the Notre Dame records for single-game scoring (44 points against Akron), 30-point games (19), 20-point games (80) and consecutive games in double-figures (103). The latter mark is the longest active streak in the nation as well. Hidalgo closed the season on a high note, scoring 20 or more points in each of her last 11 games and averaging 26.6 points, 8.8 rebounds, 6.0 steals and 4.6 assists per game. She had a standout NCAA Tournament that included just the second 30-point triple-double in Tournament history (Caitlin Clark) when she dropped 31 points, 11 rebounds and 10 steals against Vanderbilt on March 27. ================================================================= NOTRE DAME BASEBALL RALEIGH, N.C. – The Notre Dame baseball team battled back to take a lead in the ninth, but a pair of runs by NC State saw the result go to the Wolfpack in a 7-6 final on Saturday afternoon. NC State posted four unearned runs in the bottom of the first to take the early lead. The Irish got on the scoreboard in the top of the fourth. Mason Barth reached on a fielder’s choice and stole second base with two outs gone. Dylan Passo then laced a double to the right-center gap as Barth came around to score to make it a 4-1 game. Noah Rooney entered the game in the fourth and got the Irish out of a jam as his back-to-back strikeouts stranded runners at the corners. Rooney got another punch-out in the bottom of the fifth to leave a Wolfpack runner on third. The score remained unchanged until the bottom of the eighth when NC State used a solo home run to make it a 5-1 score. Bino Watters led off the top of the ninth with a solo home to left-center field to keep things going for the Irish. Jayce Lee drew a four-pitch walk, and Mason Barth hit a double off the left field wall to put two into scoring position. Dylan Passo muscled a single into the outfield to plate Lee as Notre Dame made it a 5-3 score. Jamie Zee then drove a double the other way as Barth and pinch-runner Caleb Ricks both came in to score to tie things up at 5-5. Brandon Logan used a sacrifice bunt to move Zee to third, and a passed ball allowed Zee to come in to score the go-ahead run for the Irish. Brandon Logan made a highlight-reel diving catch in center field to record the first out of the bottom of the ninth. The Wolfpack, however, used a trio of hits to plate two runs in the 7-6 final. Dylan Passo went 3-for-4 with a double and two RBI. Jamie Zee added a double, two RBI and scored a run. Bino Watters was 2-for-3 with a home run and a walk. Mason Barth added a double and scored twice for the Irish. Brandon Logan had a double, and Noah Coy posted a hit. Jayce Lee and Caleb Ricks each scored a run. Ty Uber went 3.1 on the mound after getting the start. Uber had a strikeout and did not allow an earned run in a no-decision outing. Noah Rooney posted 2.2 innings of work with three strikeouts. Dylan Singleton shouldered the loss after 2.1 innings with a pair of strikeouts. The Irish (15-12, 6-9 ACC) are back at home when they host Michigan State on Wednesday, April 8 for a midweek matchup starting at 5:00 p.m. ET. ================================================================== NOTRE DAME SB TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – The University of Notre Dame softball team dropped Saturday’s series finale at No. 6/10 Florida State, 4-8. The Irish are now 16-22 on the year and 5-10 in ACC play. Tenley Sweet hit her first career home run in the second inning, a three-run homer out to center field that made it 4-0 Irish in the second inning. Sweet is the 10th different Irish player this year to hit a homer during the 2026 season. Right before Sweet hit her home run, Rebecca Eckart logged an RBI double down the line to score the first run of the game. It was the 16th RBI of the year for the sophomore backstop. Notre Dame returns home on Wednesday for a midweek matchup against Valparaiso at 6:00 p.m. on ACC Network Extra. How it happened After both teams went scoreless in the first inning, Rebecca Eckart doubled down the left field line, scoring Hayden Kyne from third as the Irish struck first. Next batter up, Tenley Sweet launched a fly ball over the center field fence, a three-run shot to make it 4-0 Notre Dame heading into the bottom of the second. FSU got three back in the bottom of the third off starting pitcher Micaela Kastor, capitalizing on aggressive baserunning and an Irish error. Notre Dame led 4-3 after three innings. The Seminoles tacked on the tying run in the fourth off a two-out RBI triple just past the outstretched glove of Sydny Poeck in right field as the game headed to the fifth inning knotted up at four. In the fifth, a two-out double put Florida State on top 5-4 after five innings. To lead off the sixth inning, Notre Dame got back-to-back walks from Caroline O’Brien and Sydny Poeck to put two on early in the inning. But a double play followed by a groundout ended the Irish threat. Florida State tacked on three more in the bottom half of the sixth to push its lead to 8-4, which was the final score after a scoreless top of the seventh for Notre Dame. =============================================================== BUTLER BASEBALL PLYMOUTH MEETING, Pa. – Butler swept the Villanova Wildcats on Sunday behind a 10-1 victory in game three of the series. With the win, Butler improves to 11-20 overall and 3-0 in BIG EAST action while the Wildcats slide to 10-17 and 0-2 in conference action. BULLDOG HIGHLIGHTS Brock Buckley was sensational on the mound for BU, tossing seven innings, allowing only one hit while punching out seven en route to his second win of the season. Logan Crock went 2-for-4 with three runs scored, an RBI, a triple and a walk. Matthew Rhoades was 3-for-5 with three runs scored, a double and a home run. Rhoades’ homer was his 17th of the season. Gavin Gilmore went 4-for-5 with a run scored, three RBIs, a double and a home run. Charlie Schebler tallied two hits. Alex Christie scored a run, earned a walk and recorded an RBI. Danny Gavin recorded a hit and a run scored. HOW IT HAPPENED The first two frames were scoreless for both sides. In the third, BU started the inning with a walk before an error from Villanova put runners on the corners for the Dawgs. BU executed a double steal to score the first run of the day before an RBI triple from Crock gave BU a 2-0 lead. In the ensuing at-bat, Rhoades belted his 17th homer of the season to center field, giving the Dawgs a four-run advantage. Villanova was unable to scratch any runs across in the bottom of the third as BU took the 4-0 lead into the fourth. Neither side was able to score in the fourth as Butler held onto the four-run advantage. Rhoades continued his stellar day in the fifth with an RBI double. In the ensuing at-bat, Gilmore belted a two-run blast to left center, extending the Butler lead to seven. Butler kept the Wildcats off the board in the bottom of the fifth and continued to hold the Villanova offense in check as the Wildcats were unable to score in the sixth or the seventh. In the eighth, Butler had a base runner but was unable to bring them home, keeping the score at 7-0. Villanova was able to put two on with a walk and an error, but were unable to bring any of the runners home. In the top of the ninth, Butler added three runs on three hits and an error, giving the Bulldogs a 10-0 lead in the final frame. Villanova was able to score a run in the bottom of the ninth as Butler cruised to the 10-1 victory and series sweep. UP NEXT Butler will return to action on Tuesday, April 7 as BU hosts Southern Indiana at Bulldog Park. First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m. ================================================================ BALL STATE SB MUNCIE, Ind. – – Senior pitcher/designated player Ella Whitney blasted a 2-2 pitch off the ESPN+ camera in center field for her second home run of the weekend looking to spark another late rally for the Ball State softball team Saturday versus Ohio. Unfortunately, the comeback bid fell a run short as the visiting Bobcats (24-13; 7-5 MAC) held on for an 8-7 victory at the Ball State Softball Stadium. The Cardinals (15-17. 3-9 MAC) held the momentum early in the contest, jumping out to a 4-0 advantage with one run in the second, two in the third and another in the fourth. Ohio’s bats came to life in the fifth, however, as the league’s top offense plated six runs in the frame, capped by back-to-back home runs. With wet weather moving into the area, Ball State was able to battle back and even the score in the bottom of the fifth thanks to an RBI single from junior shortstop Maia Pietrzak and a sac fly from redshirt junior third baseman Skylinn Pogue. However, the Bobcats tagged on two more runs in the top of the six, courtesy of its third home run of the day, before rain moved in forcing a 35-minute delay. After the pause, the Cardinals were able to limit the damage to just the two runs with a strike ’em out, throw ’em out double play. The Cardinals would go on to load the bases with no outs in the bottom of the frame, but could not capitalize, leading the runners stranded. Reliever Bridie Murphy would retire Ohio in order in the top of the seventh, before Whitney’s solo shot brought Ball State back within one. Unfortunately, a foul fly and a fly out to right field ended the game. Whitney and Pogue led the Cardinals offense with two hits apiece on the day, with Whitney also adding an RBI single in the fourth. It will be a quick turnaround for the Ball State softball team, as it opens a three-game road series at Northern Illinois Tuesday with a 4 p.m. ET / 3 p.m. CT first pitch. The teams will also play a Wednesday doubleheader starting at 2 p.m. ET / 1 p.m. CT. =================================================================== INDIANA STATE BASEBALL TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – UIC jumped on the Sycamores early and the Flames kept the pressure on the entire game as Indiana State fell in the series finale on Saturday evening at Bob Warn Field, 17-3 (7). The loss dropped the Sycamores to 16-15, 6-3 overall in Missouri Valley play, while UIC moved to 9-19-1, 4-5 in conference competition. UIC jumped on Indiana State starting pitcher Ty Brooks (5-1) early in the contest with three runs in the top of the first, before breaking the game open with a nine-run third inning to secure the contest. The first nine UIC batters in the inning reached base and scored in the frame as the Flames connected on eight hits in the inning. The Sycamores mounted a rally in the bottom of the fifth inning against UIC starter Kendall Lyons (1-1) as Mason Roell connected on an RBI double to continue his recent hot streak at the plate, while Carter Beck and Emil Estrella also brought in runs to cut the deficit down to 13-3. That’s as close as the game was the rest of the way as UIC scored four late insurance runs in the top of the seventh inning to secure the run-rule shortened win. Colin Sander went 2-for-2 from the plate and was hit by a pitch to reach base safely in all three plate appearances on the day. Mason Roell and Nick Sutherlin both doubled for the Sycamores, while Carter Beck and Caden Miller both singled in the loss. Ty Brooks went 2.0+ innings allowing nine hits and nine runs while striking out two in taking his first loss of the season. Brady Banker and Justin Hoff both combined for 3.0 shutout innings in relief, while Colby Morse and Aaron Moss also saw time on the mound in the contest. All nine UIC players in the starting lineup hit safely led by Jake Busson’s 3-for-4 day with two doubles, four RBIs, and three runs scored. Overall, the Flames hit seven doubles as a team on Saturday evening. Kendall Lyons picked up the win allowing five hits and three runs (one earned) while striking out three over 5.1 innings of work. Mark Eddie went the final 1.2 innings in scoreless relief. How They Scored UIC took the early lead as Jake Busson connected on an RBI double in the first inning, while Lucas Smith drilled a two-run single to put the Flames ahead 3-0. The Flames’ first nine batters reached base and scored in the top of the third inning with seven different players driving in runs as UIC went up 12-0. UIC added to the lead in the fourth inning as Thomas Curry drew a bases-loaded walk to stretch the advantage to 13-0. The Sycamores took three runs back in the bottom of the fifth with Mason Roell connecting on an RBI double down the left field line scoring Colin Sander, while Nomar Garcia and Mason Roell both scored during Carter Beck and Emil Estrella’s at-bats to cut the lead down to 13-3. UIC plated four final runs in the top of the seventh with Vidal Colon and Sean Cody drawing RBI walks, before Colin Husko connected on a two-run single to provide the final 17-3 margin. News and Notes Carter Beck extended his hitting streak to 13 consecutive games on Saturday evening as the junior outfielder connected on a single in the bottom of the first. Mason Roell extended his hitting streak to eight consecutive games on Saturday evening after his fifth inning RBI double. Colin Sander extended his hitting streak to seven consecutive games on Saturday evening after going 2-for-2 from the plate and getting hit by a pitch. Ty Brooks took his first loss in the 2026 season on the mound as the sophomore right-hander did not make it out of the third inning. The outing snapped a stretch of six consecutive games where he went at least 5.0 innings. Up Next Indiana State is back on the road on Tuesday, April 7, as the Sycamores head to Illinois Field to take on the Fighting Illini in Urbana-Champaign, Ill. First pitch is set for 7 p.m. ET and will be carried live on B1G+ and 105.5 The Legend. =============================================================== EVANSVILLE BASEBALL PEORIA, Ill. – The University of Evansville baseball team won their second consecutive MVC series in Peoria on Saturday, completing a 12-3 win in the conclusion of game two, which began on Friday, before downing Bradley 9-4 in the series finale. The day began with the resumption of game two of the series, which was postponed to Saturday with the Aces on top 7-0 in the bottom of the fifth. Kevin Reed (Martinsville, Ind./Martinsville) began the day on the mound and worked the final five innings to get the win, while the Aces used a 5-run ninth to open the game up. Kenton Deverman (Dardenne Prarie, Mo./Fort Zumwalt West) got the start for the Aces in the rubber match and was outstanding, shutting out the Braves across five innings while striking out six to get the win. Evansville grabbed a 3-0 lead in the first and continued to swing it throughout the game, tallying 14 hits and four extra base hits. Harrison Taubert (Casper, Wyo./Northeast CC) and Reagan Reeder (Ramsey, Minn./Illinois) homered, while Ximi Baftiri (Morris, Ill./Morris) drove in three runs with a 2-for-5 effort. HOW IT HAPPENED (Game 1) Reed took the ball for the Aces in the resumption of game two of the series and allowed a 2-run home run in his first inning of work, but settled in nicely with three strikeouts across scoreless frames in the sixth and seventh. Another Bradley home run made it 7-3 in the eighth, but the Evansville offense broke out in the ninth to put the game away. Ryan Seddon (Joliet, Ill./St. Laurence) began the inning with a single up the middle, advanced to second on a walk, and stole third base with nobody out. Baftiri stepped up next and lifting a sac fly to left, scoring Seddon. Reid Haire (Hudson, N.C./Charlotte) continued the rally, singling to right center to score Charlie Longmeier (Seymour, Ind./Seymour), while Drew McConnell (Blue Springs, Mo./Blue Springs) and Reeder added exclamation marks on the inning with a double and a triple, respectively. With his team now in front 12-3, Reed put the finishing touches on the win in the bottom of the ninth and the Aces evened up the series. HOW IT HAPPENED (Game 2) Evansville started out hot in the series finale, loading the bases with nobody out for Baftiri, who smacked a single up the middle for an RBI. Seddon was next to join the party, depositing another single into center field to drive in two more, giving the Aces a 3-0 lead after a half inning of play. Deverman took advantage of the early lead, pumping the strike zone while retiring the first nine hitters he faced to get through three scoreless. Evansville added to the lead in the fourth, taking advantage of a pair of walks with Longmeier and Baftiri delivering base hits, giving the Aces a 6-0 win. Deverman ran into trouble for the first time in the bottom of the fourth, as the Braves put two on with nobody out. However, the left-hander worked out of the jam, stranding runners on second and third. Taubert added another run in the fifth, jumping on the first pitch of the inning for a no doubt home run to left field. Deverman concluded his day in the fifth, capping his outing with a pair of strikeouts. Bradley got on the board in the sixth with a pair of runs off Evansville reliever Chris McCormack (Naperville, Ill./Iowa Central CC), but the right-hander made quick work of the Braves in the seventh, firing 12 pitches, all strikes, while striking out three. Reeder continued his big day in the top of the eighth, leading off the inning with a solo home run to left center. Later in the inning, Longmeier drove in his fifth run of the weekend with a single to right field, making the lead 9-2. Bradley got the runs back in the home half of the eighth, but Kellen Roberts (Monroe, Mich./Monroe) shut the door in the ninth by inducing an game-ending double play to clinch the series for the Aces. With the win, Evansville moves to 4-2 in MVC play. UP NEXT Evansville will play four games at home next week, starting with a midweek contest against Lindenwood on Tuesday before hosting Southern Illinois for a three-game series over the weekend. ================================================================= VALPO BASEBALL What a difference a day made for the Valparaiso University baseball team. Less than 24 hours after a shaky showing both offensively and defensively, the Beacons bounced back in a big way, recording their biggest win of the season so far, beating Washington 4-2 in Saturday afternoon’s series finale at Husky Ballpark in Seattle. The Beacons switched up their pregame routine with a “show-and-go” instead of the standard pregame batting practice, and “go” they did, earning a Big Ten victory behind a strong pitching performance from sophomore starting pitcher Nick Baffa (Glenview, Ill. / Notre Dame), who earned the win with five shutout innings. How It Happened The Beacons scored the game’s first runs as Brayden Pleau (Appleton, Wis. / Kimberly) ripped a drive to deep left center that sailed out of the yard to make it 2-0 in the top of the second. George Betevis (Hanover Park, Ill. / Bartlett) was along for the ride after being hit by a pitch. After sending down the side in order in the bottom of the first, Baffa made big pitches in key moments. The Huskies had ducks on the pond, but stranded men in scoring position in each of the next four innings, including in the third when he worked around a leadoff double. Baffa left after five shutout innings while permitting five hits and two walks to go along with five strikeouts. Redshirt senior Dalton Swinehart (Elkhart, Ind. / Concord) was summoned from the bullpen to begin the sixth and picked up right where Baffa left off by keeping the Huskies off the scoreboard. Swinehart sent down the side in order in the sixth. The Beacons started the seventh inning with back-to-back doubles, as Eli Riley got it started before coming home on a two-bagger by Pleau that made it 3-0. Later in the seventh, Valpo played small ball to add to the lead as Gavin Bennett laid down a squeeze bunt and Pleau dashed home to extend the lead to 4-0. Washington manufactured an unearned run in the seventh, but no further runners reached base against Swinehart, who got out of the inning with Valpo still leading by three at 4-1. The Huskies led off the eighth inning with a double that turned into a run, but Spencer Boynton (Tampa, Fla. / Seffner Christian) worked out of a frame that also featured a dropped third strike and a walk with minimal damage. With runners at first and second and one away, he induced a strikeout and ground out to send the game to the ninth with Valpo ahead 4-2. Redshirt junior Ryan Kruse (Detroit, Mich. / U of D Jesuit) took over the pitching duties in the bottom of the ninth, and retired the first two men he faced. Heart rates reached elevated levels when an error extended the inning, but Thomas Cooper (Brentwood, Tenn. / Ravenwood) gobbled up a ground ball to third and threw to first just in time for the final out, cementing the victory. Inside the Game Pleau’s home run was his second of the season and first since Feb. 22 at Presbyterian. The five innings matched March 1 of this season at Alabama State for Baffa’s longest career outing. He pitched shutout ball in a start for the first time this season on Saturday. The five strikeouts marked the second-highest total of his career, behind six in the aforementioned game at Alabama State. Kruse nailed down his second save of the year and the third of his career. This was his first save since March 1 at Alabama State. He worked in each of the final two games of this series and logged a shutout inning for the second straight day. This marked Valpo’s third win over Big Ten competition in the last two seasons, as they beat Illinois and Ohio State last season. In Schmack’s time as head coach, the team has wins over five different Big Ten opponents – Ohio State, Michigan State, Illinois, Purdue and now Washington. The victory came over a Washington team that earlier in the week beat the No. 9 team in the country – Oregon State – 18-2 on Tuesday. The Beacons outhit the Huskies 8-6 with Riley and Pleau leading the way with two apiece. After striking out 17 times in each of the first two games in the series, the Beacons put the ball in play more frequently, fanning a more reasonable eight times. Valpo pitching issued just three walks, the team’s lowest total of the series. Valpo hurlers made big pitches throughout the day, as the Huskies stranded 10 on base and went 0-for-15 with runners in scoring position. Up Next The Beacons (8-19) and will visit Western Michigan in a midweek game on Tuesday in Kalamazoo, Mich. The game will begin at 2 p.m. CT and will air on YouTube Live. ================================================================= SMALL INDIANA COLLEGE SPORTS 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 1913 Twenty-five thousand fans watch the Dodgers play their first game in Ebbets Field in an exhibition game against the Yankees. Brooklyn beats New York, 3-2, with Casey Stengel hitting the park’s first home run, an inside-the-parker. 1925 Babe Ruth collapses at a railroad station in Asheville (NC). The “bellyache heard round the world,” so dubbed when a writer suggests that a hot dog and soda binge caused the illness, will require hospitalization and an operation, keeping the Yankees slugger out of the lineup for seven weeks. 1934 Babe Ruth, sponsored by Quaker Oats, agrees to do a weekly show on NBC radio. The Sultan of Swat’s broadcast salary for the 13-week series will be $4000 more than his reported Yankee contract of $35,000. 1934 Reds president Larry MacPhail hires 26-year-old Red Barber to broadcast the team’s games on WSAL. The not-so-old “Ol’ Redhead” will spend the first five years of his Hall of Fame career in Cincinnati, calling the contests from Crosley Field’s stands. 1935 The Braves, returning north from spring training, beat North Carolina State College, 6-2, in a contest that ended in the seventh inning because there were no baseballs to play with, having used the hundred put aside for the game. Olney Ray Freeman strikes out a 40-year-old Babe Ruth on a two-strike curveball, a feat the southpaw brags about until he died in 2008. 1957 The Phillies trade five players, Ron Negray, Tim Harkness, Elmer Valo, Mel Geho, and Ben Flowers (the player to be named later), sending $75,000 to the Dodgers to obtain much-touted Cuban infielder Chico Fernandez. Philadelphia’s new shortstop will play three seasons in the City of Brotherly Love, batting just .242 before being traded to the Tigers. 1966 Don Larsen, the last active major leaguer who played for the Browns, is released by the Orioles. As a rookie in 1953, the Michigan City, Indiana native posted a 7-12 record for the hapless franchise, which lost 100 games in its final season in St. Louis. 1971 At RFK Stadium, 45,000 fans watch the last Opening Day game the Senators will play in the District of Columbia. Dick Bosman goes the distance, blanking the A’s on six hits in Washington’s 8-0 victory over Oakland. 1972 The cancellation of the season opener between the Astros and Reds is due to the player strike, which began on April 1. The work stoppage postpones Opening Day for the first time in major league history, with 86 games not played until both sides agree to increase pension fund payments and the owners add salary arbitration to the Collective Bargaining Agreement. 1972 The Expos trade a stunned All-Star right fielder Rusty Staub to the Mets for outfielder Ken Singleton and infielders Tim Foli and Mike Jorgensen. The 28-year-old ‘Le Grand Orange,’ a fan favorite in Montreal, will miss most of the season due to injuries but will play a significant role in New York’s 1973 ‘Ya Gotta Believe’ pennant-winning team. 1976 In a deal negotiated in the groundskeeper’s office under the third base stands at Fort Lauderdale Stadium, 31-year-old right-hander Tom Seaver agrees to a three-year contract with the Mets. The pact makes ‘Tom Terrific,’ who posted a 25-9 record last season while leading the league in strikeouts with 243, the first hurler in baseball history to earn $200,000 annually. 1979 At Memorial Stadium, Oriole manager Earl Weaver notches his 1,000th career victory when Baltimore beats Chicago on Opening Day, 5-3. The future Hall of Fame skipper will finish his 17-year managerial career, all with the Birds, with a 1480-1069 (.583) record. 1983 Tom Seaver, making his first appearance with the Mets since 1977, combines with Doug Sisk to blank the Phillies at Shea Stadium, 2-0, on Opening Day. ‘Tom Terrific,’ who will extend the record to 16, ties Walter Johnson’s major league mark with his 14th Opening Day assignment. 1988 With a 6-3 Opening Day victory over the Padres, Houston wins its 2,000th game in franchise history. The Astros score five runs in the bottom of the eighth inning, making starter Mike Scott the winning pitcher. 1989 At Riverfront Stadium, Dodgers’ hurler Orel Hershiser’s scoreless-inning streak ends at 59. With two outs in the bottom of the first, Todd Benzinger’s single scores Barry Larkin, who was almost a pickoff victim after getting a base hit to lead off the game, but was safe on the Bulldog’s throwing error. 1993 At Camden Yards, Bill Clinton becomes the first U.S. president to successfully throw the season’s first pitch from the pitcher’s mound. Orioles starter Rick Sutcliffe, giving up six runs in six innings, doesn’t fare as well when the Birds lose to the Rangers, 7-4. 1993 Eric Fox, inserted into the game as a late-inning defensive replacement, hits a grand slam in the bottom of the eighth inning, giving the A’s an eventual 9-4 Opening Day victory before 43,370 fans at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum. The round-tripper will be the outfielder’s only homer of the season. 1993 Greg Maddux, signed as a free agent in the offseason, allows no runs and scatters five hits to his former team over 8⅓ innings on Opening Day. Mike Stanton gets the last two outs in the Braves’ 1-0 victory over the Cubs at Wrigley Field. 1993 In front of 42,334 fans at Joe Robbie Stadium in Miami, the Florida Marlins, making their major league debut, defeat the Dodgers, 6-3. Joe DiMaggio throws out the ceremonial first pitch, and the team retires uniform number 5 in tribute to their late president Carl Barger, the number of his favorite player, fittingly Joe DiMaggio. 1993 At Shea Stadium, the Rockies lose their National League debut, dropping a 3-0 decision to the Mets and Dwight Gooden, who pitches a four-hit complete game for the victory. Right-hander David Nied starts the contest for Colorado, and Andres Galarraga collects the franchise’s first hit with a second-inning single. 1997 At Olympic Stadium, the Rockies set a franchise record with seven home runs, including three by Larry Walker, pulled from the game in the eighth inning by Rockies manager Don Baylor. The Colorado skipper wanted to avoid running up the score against the Expos with his team ahead 15-1. 1998 After five attempts, the Diamondbacks win their first game in franchise history when Andy Benes pitches seven strong innings, with Matt Williams pacing the attack with three hits in the team’s 3-2 victory over San Francisco at Bank One Ballpark. Arizona’s 0-5 start is the second-longest season-opening losing streak for an expansion team in its first season, behind only the 1962 Mets, who didn’t record a victory until their 10th game. 2003 The White Sox announce that all active-duty military members will receive free admission to most home games at U.S. Cellular Field to support U.S. troops in Iraq. The free passes will not be available during the Cubs series scheduled for June. 2003 The Royals become the first major league team to begin the season 5-0, en route to nine consecutive victories after losing 100 games the prior year. Runelvys Hernandez, the winner of a coin toss, making him the Opening Day starter, gets his second victory, allowing two hits in seven innings to beat the Indians at Kauffman Stadium, 2-1. 2004 Braves’ general manager John Schuerholz announces the team has exercised the option to retain Bobby Cox as the team’s manager through the 2005 season. The 62-year-old skipper, ninth all-time in managerial wins with 1,906, has won 12 consecutive divisional titles. 2004 “This, I’m going to remember for the rest of my life. I’m going to live with this. Opening Day, a walk-off home run – it doesn’t get any better.” – – CARLOS BELTRAN, reflecting on his game-winning home run on Opening Day. The Royals become the first team since 1901 to overcome a ninth-inning deficit of four runs on Opening Day when they rally to beat the White Sox at Kauffman Stadium, 9-7. Kansas City center fielder Carlos Beltran’s two-run walk-off homer that bounces off the top of the wall is the keynote hit in the team’s six-run final frame. 2005 The Nationals, formerly known as the Expos, lose their inaugural season opener, bowing to the Phillies, 8-4. The franchise, which played its initial 36 years in Montreal, becomes the first team to represent the nation’s capital since the Senators left Washington to become the Texas Rangers in 1971. 2005 Johan Santana gets credited for the win in the Twins’ 8-4 victory over Seattle at Safeco Field, but the southpaw’s streak of 22 straight starts of allowing three or fewer runs ends. Last season’s Cy Young Award winner has the second-longest span of giving fewer than four runs in consecutive outings, trailing only Dwight Gooden’s 24 in 1985. 2006 Sluggerrr, the Royals’ Mascot, celebrates his tenth birthday at Kauffman Stadium. The nearly seven-foot-tall lion with a crown built into his skull is active in the Kansas City community in the offseason, visiting local schools to encourage youngsters to excel in school and be good citizens. 2009 Jordan Schafer becomes the tenth Braves player in franchise history and the 99th overall to hit a home run in his first major league at-bat. The 22-year-old rookie center fielder, who never played in a level higher than Double-A, goes deep off Philadelphia’s Opening Day starter Brett Myers in the second inning at Citizens Bank Park. 2010 Matt Stairs plays for his twelfth major league organization when he flies out in a pinch-hitting role for the Padres in a 6-3 loss to Arizona at Chase Field, equaling Deacon McGuire’s record (1884 to 1912) for the most teams ever played with by a position player. The 18-year veteran also joins pitchers Mike Morgan and Ron Villone in being on a dozen clubs. 2010 The Red Sox and their ace, Josh Beckett, agree on a $68 million, four-year contract extension. The agreement keeps the team’s Opening Day starter in Boston, giving the club a potent 1-2 punch at the top of its rotation for the next five years, following the recent free-agent acquisition of John Lackey. 2010 Jason Heyward becomes the eleventh Braves player in franchise history to homer in his first major league at-bat. The much-touted 20-year-old rookie, with the hometown fans chanting, “Let’s go, Heyward!” hits a three-run homer in the first inning off Chicago’s Carlos Zambrano at Turner Field. 2010 Mainly receiving cheers from the standing-room-only crowd at Nationals Stadium, President Barack Obama, wearing a White Sox cap and a Nats jacket, continues a 100-year tradition when he throws the ceremonial first pitch before Washington’s home opener against Philadelphia. The Commander-in-Chief’s toss is high and wide, but third baseman Ryan Zimmerman makes a lunging grab of the ball. 2011 Nine different pitchers contribute a hitless inning when the High Desert Mavericks (Adelanto, California) no-hit the local Victor Valley Community College Rams, 12-0. Hurlers James Gillheeny, Tim Boyce, Nick Czyz, Austin Hudson, Johnathan Hesketh, Ogui Diaz, Jose Jimenez, John Housey, and Chris Kirkland share the equal workload for the California League’s Class A-Advanced affiliate of the Mariners. 2012 J.P. Arencibia’s three-run homer in the 16th inning, giving the Blue Jays an eventual 7-4 victory over the Indians, ends the longest opening-day game in major league history. The Progressive Field marathon surpassed the 15-inning Opening Day contests between Cleveland and the Tigers in 1960 and the A’s and Senators in 1926. 2012 “In memory of Shannon Stone and dedicated to all fans who love the game,” -statue’s inscription, honoring a fan who died at the stadium while attending a game last season. Cooper Stone helps unveil the statue, which depicts him and his dad holding hands and conversing while wearing their baseball caps in front of a gate at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington. Bruce Greene’s sculpture pays tribute to the six-year-old’s father, who died last season when he fell twenty feet onto the concrete behind the left-field scoreboard, reaching for a ball thrown into the stands by Texas outfielder Josh Hamilton while attending a game with him. 2013 Joining Willie Mays (1971), Mark McGwire (1998), and Nelson Cruz (2011), Chris Davis, who collects a grand slam and five RBIs in the Orioles’ home opener, becomes the fourth player in major league history to homer in his first four games of the season. The 27-year-old Baltimore first baseman also breaks the RBI mark for the same span, driving in 16 runs, four more than the previous record shared by three players. 2014 Ike Davis becomes the second player in franchise history to deliver a pinch-hit walk-off grand slam when he goes deep off J.J. Hoover in New York’s 6-3 victory over Cincinnati at Citi Field. The only other Met to accomplish the feat is the team’s current third-base coach, Tim Teufel, who went yard off the bench with the bases loaded in 1986 against Philadelphia. 2015 A.J. Preller continues his makeover of the Padres, acquiring All-Star closer Craig Kimbrel and outfielder Melvin Upton Jr. from the Braves for outfielders Carlos Quentin and Cameron Maybin, minor league prospects, and the 41st overall draft pick. By pulling off the incredible deal the day before the season begins, the San Diego GM significantly increases the club’s payroll, with most of the cost involving taking on the remaining $46.35 million still owed to Upton, who will now join his brother B.J. as a teammate. 2016 For the first time in more than six decades, the Cubs and White Sox start the same season with two victories and no losses. The last time both Chicago teams were undefeated after two games occurred in 1951, two seasons before Ernie Banks played his rookie year. 2019 Rays left fielder Tommy Pham goes 1-for-5 in the team’s 5-2 victory over the Giants at Oracle Park, extending his on-base streak to 40 games to set a new franchise record. Johnny Damon established the previous mark when he reached base in 39 consecutive games in 2011. 2021 The Blue Jays defeat the hometown Rangers, 6-2, in front of a near-capacity crowd of 38,238, the largest attended U.S. sporting event since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Before the Globe Life Field contest, Texas Governor Greg Abbott declined to throw the ceremonial first pitch to protest MLB’s decision to move the All-Star Game from Atlanta in response to Georgia’s new election laws. 2023 Hunt Auctions announces the private sale of a bat used by Babe Ruth circa 1920-21 for $1.85 million, a record price for a baseball bat. The value grew exponentially thanks to photographic corroboration by PSA/DNA photo expert Henry Yee, who matched the priceless artifact known as ‘Polo Ground bat to a 1921 photo of the Yankee slugger. ========================================================= TV SPORTS TODAY Sunday, 4/5/26 MLB REGULAR SEASONTIME ETTVSan Diego Padres vs Boston Red Sox1:35pmNESNPadres.TVMiami Marlins vs New York Yankees1:35pmYESMarlins.TVBaltimore Orioles vs Pittsburgh Pirates1:35pmMASNSN-PITLos Angeles Dodgers vs Washington Nationals1:35pmNationals.TVSNLAChicago Cubs vs Cleveland Guardians1:40pmMARQGuardians.TVToronto Blue Jays vs Chicago White Sox2:10pmSNCHSNTampa Bay Rays vs Minnesota Twins2:10pmTwins.TVRays.TVMilwaukee Brewers vs Kansas City Royals2:10pmPeacockBrewers.TVRoyals.TVCincinnati Reds vs Texas Rangers2:35pmReds.TVRSNPhiladelphia Phillies vs Colorado Rockies3:10pmRockies.TVNBCS-PHIHouston Astros vs Athletics4:05pmNBCS-CASCHNNew York Mets vs San Francisco Giants4:05pmSNYNBCS-BAYSeattle Mariners vs Los Angeles Angels4:07pmROOTFanDuel Sports WestAtlanta Braves vs Arizona Diamondbacks4:10pmBraves.TVDiamondbacks.TVSt. Louis Cardinals vs Detroit Tigers7:20pmPeacockCardinals.TVSN-DETNBA REGULAR SEASONTIME ETTVWashington Wizards vs Brooklyn Nets3:30pmYESMNMTPhoenix Suns vs Chicago Bulls3:30pmAFSNCHSNMemphis Grizzlies vs Milwaukee Bucks3:30pmFanDuel Sports MILFanDuel Sports MEMToronto Raptors vs Boston Celtics3:30pmNBATVSNNBCS-BOSIndiana Pacers vs Cleveland Cavaliers6:00pmFanDuel Sports INDFanDuel Sports OhioCharlotte Hornets vs Minnesota Timberwolves7:00pmFanDuel Sports CHAFanDuel Sports NorthOrlando Magic vs New Orleans Pelicans7:00pmFanDuel Sports FLGCSNUtah Jazz vs Oklahoma City Thunder7:00pmKJZZFanDuel Sports OKC<Los Angeles Lakers vs Dallas Mavericks7:30pmNBCPeacockLos Angeles Clippers vs Sacramento Kings9:00pmFanDuel Sports SoCalKENSHouston Rockets vs Golden State Warriors10:00pmNBCPeacockNHL REGULAR SEASONTIME ETTVMinnesota Wild vs Detroit Red Wings1:00pmTNTMAXFlorida Panthers vs Pittsburgh Penguins3:00pmScrippsSN-PITBoston Bruins vs Philadelphia Flyers3:30pmTNTMAXCarolina Hurricanes vs Ottawa Senators5:00pmSNFanDuel Sports SouthWashington Capitals vs New York Rangers7:00pmESPNESPN UnlimitedNew Jersey Devils vs Montreal Canadiens7:00pmMSGSNSNSt. Louis Blues vs Colorado Avalanche9:30pmALTFanDuel Sports MWCOLLEGE BASEBALLTIME ETTVMissouri at Kentucky1:00pmSECNSouthern Cal at UCLA6:00pmBTNCOLLEGE SOFTBALLTIME ETTVMichigan at Northwestern2:30pmBTNAuburn at Arkansas4:00pmSECNGOLFTIME ETTVPGA Tour: Texas Open1:00pmGOLFPGA Tour: Texas Open2:30pmNBCLPGA Tour: Aramco Championship5:00pmGOLFUFLTIME ETTVBirmingham Stallions vs Houston Gamblers12:00pmESPN2SOCCERTIME ETTVLa Liga: Getafe vs Athletic Club8:00amESPN+fuboTVSerie A: Cremonese vs Bologna9:00amParamount+fuboTVLigue 1: Angers SCO vs Olympique Lyonnais9:00amFanatizbeIN SportsfuboTVBundesliga: Union Berlin vs St. Pauli9:30amESPN+fuboTVLa Liga: Valencia vs Celta de Vigo10:15amESPN+fuboTVLigue 1: Le Havre vs Auxerre11:15amFanatizbeIN SportsfuboTVLigue 1: Lorient vs Paris11:15amFanatizbeIN SportsfuboTVLigue 1: Metz vs Nantes11:15amFanatizbeIN SportsfuboTVBundesliga: Eintracht Frankfurt vs Köln11:30amESPN+fuboTVFA Cup: West Ham United vs Leeds United11:30amESPN+fuboTVSerie A: Pisa vs Torino12:00pmParamount+fuboTVLa Liga: Real Oviedo vs Sevilla12:30pmESPN+fuboTVBundesliga: Stuttgart vs Borussia Dortmund12:30pmESPN+fuboTVSerie A: Internazionale vs Roma2:45pmParamount+fuboTVLigue 1: Monaco vs Olympique Marseille2:45pmFanatizbeIN SportsfuboTVLa Liga: Deportivo Alavés vs Osasuna3:00pmESPN+fuboTVLiga MX: Guadalajara vs Pumas UNAM10:07pmPrime About The Author troyderengowski61@gmail.com See author's posts Post navigation UCONN REACHES 3RD NATIONAL TITLE GAME IN 4 SEASONS, BEATING ILLINOIS 71-62 BEHIND MULLINS AND REED THE INDIANA SRN “SCOREBOARD” APRIL 5
