THE INDIANA SRN “SPORTSPAGE” SATURDAY JUNE 14, 2025

INDIANA HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL SEMI-STATE

SATURDAY JUNE 14

4A

VALPARAISO VS. FT. WAYNE SNIDER

WESTFIELD VS GOSHEN

EVANSVILLE NORTH VS. NORTH CENTRAL

FRANKLIN VS. CENTER GROVE

3A

NORTHWOOD VS. NORWELL

DELTA VS. ANDREAN

GUERIN CATHOLIC VS. NEW PALESTINE

GREENSBURG VS. JASPER

2A

WAPAHANI VS. OAK HILL

BOONE GROVE VS. WESTVIEW

PROVIDENCE VS. UNIVERSITY

EVANSVILLE MATER DEI VS. SHENANDOAH

1A

KOUTS VS. UNION CITY

CLINTON PRAIRIE VS. FW CANTERBURY

KNIGHTSTOWN VS. INDY LUTHERAN

SHAKAMAK VS. NORTHEAST DUBOIS

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INDIANA HIGH SCHOOL SOFTBALL STATE FINALS

FRIDAY, JUNE 13

1A

NORTH NEWTON 2 CLAY CITY 0

4A

CROWN POINT VS. CENTER GROVE PPD TO SATURDAY

SATURDAY, JUNE 14

CLASS 2A STATE CHAMPIONSHIP 
4:30 PM ET / 3:30 CT | ANDREAN (21-7) VS. TECUMSEH (30-2)

CLASS 3A STATE CHAMPIONSHIP
7 PM ET / 6 PM CT | HANOVER CENTRAL (18-12) VS. INDIANAPOLIS CATHEDRAL (28-2)

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INDIANA BOYS HIGH SCHOOL GOLF –STATE FINALS                                                                               

JUN 17, 2025

8 AM ET / 7 AM CT.

JUN 18, 2025

8 AM ET / 7 AM CT

SITE: PRAIRIE VIEW GOLF CLUB, 7000 LONGEST DRIVE, CARMEL, IN 46033 | WEBSITE

TIME: FIRST TEE TIMES BOTH DAYS ARE SCHEDULED FOR 8 AM ET / 7 AM CT.

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NBA FINALS

• GAME 1: PACERS 111 THUNDER 110 (INDIANA LEADS SERIES 1-0)
• GAME 2: THUNDER 123 PACERS 107 (SERIES TIED AT 1-1)
• GAME 3: PACERS 116 THUNDER 107 (INDIANA LEADS SERIES 2-1)
• GAME 4: THUNDER 111 PACERS 104 (SERIES TIED 2-2)
• GAME 5: PACERS AT THUNDER, (MON. JUNE 16, 8:30 ET, ABC)*
• GAME 6: THUNDER AT PACERS (THU. JUNE 19, 8:30 ET, ABC)*
• GAME 7: PACERS AT THUNDER, SUN, JUNE 22, 8 ET ON ABC)*
* IF NECESSARY

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WNBA SCORES

ATLANTA 88 CHICAGO 70

LAS VEGAS 88 DALLAS 84

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NHL PLAYOFFS/SCHEDULE

STANLEY CUP FINALS

FLORIDA PANTHERS (3A) VS. EDMONTON OILERS (3P)

GAME 1: OILERS 4 PANTHERS 3 OT (OILERS LEAD SERIES 1-0)
GAME 2: PANTHERS 5 EDMONTON 4 2OT (SERIES TIED 1-1)
GAME 3: PANTHERS 6 EDMONTON 1 (PANTHERS LEAD SERIES 2-1)
GAME 4: OILERS 5 PANTHERS 4 (SERIES EVEN 2-2)
GAME 5: PANTHERS AT OILERS, SATURDAY, JUNE 14, 8 P.M. ET; SN, CBC, TVAS, TNT, TRUTV, MAX *
GAME 6: OILERS AT PANTHERS, TUESDAY, JUNE 17, 8 P.M. ET; TNT, TRUTV, MAX, SN, CBC, TVAS *
GAME 7: PANTHERS AT OILERS, FRIDAY, JUNE 20, 8 P.M. ET; SN, CBC, TVAS, TNT, TRUTV, MAX *

* IF NECESSARY

COMPLETE PANTHERS-OILERS SERIES COVERAGE

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MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL SCORES

Pittsburgh 2 Chicago Cubs 1 (10)

Philadelphia 8 Toronto 0

Miami 11 Washington 9

Baltimore 2 LA Angels 0

Tampa Bay 7 NY Mets 5

Detroit 11 Cincinnati 5

Boston 2 NY Yankees 1 (10)

Atlanta 12 Colorado 4

Texas 3 Chicago White Sox 1

Milwaukee 3 St. Louis 2

Houston 10 Minnesota 3

Las Vegas 6 Kansas City 4

Arizona 5 San Diego 1

Seattle 7 Cleveland 2

San Francisco 6 LA Dodgers 2

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MINOR LEAGUE BASEBALL SCORES

INDIANAPOLIS 7 ST. PAUL 6

SOUTH BEND AT FT. WAYNE PPD

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COLLEGE BASEBALL WORLD SERIES

2025 COLLEGE WORLD SERIES FIRST-ROUND PAIRINGS

ALL TIMES CENTRAL

COASTAL CAROLINA 7 ARIZONA 4

OREGON STATE 4 LOUISVILLE 3

SATURDAY, JUNE 14: NO. 15 UCLA (47-16) VS. MURRAY STATE (43-14) | 1 P.M. | ESPN (ESPN+)

SATURDAY, JUNE 14: NO. 6 LSU (48-15) VS. NO. 3 ARKANSAS (48-13) | 6 P.M. | ESPN (ESPN+)

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MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER SCORES

PORTLAND 1 SAN JOSE 1

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UNITED FOOTBALL LEAGUE SCORES

CHAMPIONSHIP SATURDAY

DC DEFENDERS VS. MICHIGAN 8:00

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TOP NATIONAL NEWS HEADLINES/RELEASES

GOLF NEWS

SAM BURNS SETS THE TARGET AT OAKMONT WITH A 65 IN THE SECOND ROUND AT THE US OPEN

OAKMONT, Pa. (AP) — Sam Burns is a birdie machine at Oakmont, a label not many expected at this U.S. Open. By avoiding another sloppy finish, Burns posted a 5-under 65 on Friday and set the target for the late starters — and let Scottie Scheffler know the mountain he faced.

Burns has made 11 birdies through two rounds, joining Viktor Hovland for most sup-par holes through 36 holes in the three U.S. Opens at Oakmont since it switched to a par 70 in 2007.

Burns needed them to make up for Thursday’s rough ending, when he was one shot out of the lead until playing his final four holes in 5-over par.

This was different. He capped off a smooth round — just one bogey — by holing a par from just outside 20 feet to reach 3-under 137.

J.J. Spaun, the 18-hole leader after a 4-under 66, was among those playing in the afternoon in muggy conditions that threatened to bring in storms.

“I played really well yesterday other than the finishing holes. So I think today was just kind of getting mentally ready to come out and try to put a good round together,” Burns said.

“It was unfortunate, but there was too much good to focus on the little bit of bad.”

Hovland twice holed 50-foot shots from off the green — a putter from the collar on No. 10 when he started his round, and chipping in for eagle on the reachable par-4 17th. He also chopped up the reachable par-4 second hole for a double bogey and wound up with a 68.

He was at 1-under 139. Burns and Hovland were the only two players from the morning wave to finish 36 holes under par.

Burns is among the top putters on the PGA Tour, though he did miss a 5-foot putt to win a playoff in the Canadian Open last week and three-putted the fourth playoff hole to lose. This was more about staying in position and eliminating as much stress as possible on a course that can be relentless.

All six of his birdies were inside 10 feet. His best putt might been an eagle attempt from over 100 feet on the par-5 fourth that he lagged to tap-in range. But the finish was big. He tugged his drive to the left on the tough par-4 ninth into a ditch, took a penalty drop, hit safely on the green and made it for par.

The stress shifted to the players trying to hang on in the afternoon. Only 11 players were under par after the opening round, a number that was sure to shrink on Friday.

Scheffler was among those who had little room left for mistakes. He opened with a birdie on No. 10, but then didn’t find another fairway until he came up just short of the green on the 17th, 50 feet away for eagle. Four putts later, he had a bogey.

It was a grind all way, battling his swing and the rough, making a number of key par putts that kept the round from getting worse. He missed another fairway on the ninth hole that led to bogey and a 71. Scheffler was at 4-over 144, seven behind Burns among those who finished.

“Mentally, this was as tough as I’ve battled for the whole day. There was a lot of stuff going on out there that was not going in my favor necessarily,” Scheffler said.

“Overall, definitely not out of the tournament. Today was, I think with the way I was hitting it, easily a day I could have been going home. And battled pretty hard to stay in there,” he said. “I’m 4 over. We’ll see what the lead is after today, but around this golf course I don’t think by any means I’m out of the tournament.”

Burns had the low round for the week, a score that was posted three times when Oakmont last hosted the U.S. Open in 2016. There are chances out there — Victor Perez of France made a hole-in-one on the sixth hole in a roller-coaster round of 70 — but punishment is everywhere.

Jordan Spieth started at even par, went out in 40 and had to hang on to make sure he was around for the weekend. Brooks Koepka, two out of the lead after the first round, made only six pars in his round of 74.

Jon Rahm went from red numbers to red in the face with a 75, leaving him in the same spot as Scheffler. Rahm, who took 35 putts, was asked if his score could illustrate how tough Oakmont was playing.

“Honestly, too annoyed and too mad right now to think about any perspective,” he said. “Very frustrated. Very few rounds of golf I played in my life where I think I hit good putts and they didn’t sniff the hole. So it’s frustrating.”

That’s not just Oakmont. That’s most U.S. Opens. In that respect, Hovland was a curious contender. He has been all over the place with his swing, his expectations, his confidence. He won during the Florida swing and is making progress. Perhaps no expectations helped him.

“For some reason I’ve just been in a really nice mental state this week,” Hovland said. “Both my rounds have been very up and down. I feel like a couple times if it would have happened at another tournament, for example, I could have potentially lost my mind there a little bit. But I felt like I kept things together very well.”

He has 10 birdies and an eagle. He also has nine bogeys and a double bogey. But he’s under par at Oakmont going into the weekend, never a bad place to be.

BRYSON DECHAMBEAU MISSES U.S. OPEN CUT; RORY MCILROY SURVIVES

OAKMONT, Pa. — The two players who went head-to-head in the final round of the 2024 U.S. Open at Pinehurst No. 2 had starkly different finishes on Friday at Oakmont Country Club.

Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy recovered from an ugly start to his second round and beat the cut line by one stroke at 6 over par by sinking a short birdie putt at No. 18. Bryson DeChambeau, though, won’t see the weekend at this U.S. Open after posting a 7-over-par 77 to go 10 over through his two rounds.

DeChambeau beat McIlroy by a single stroke at Pinehurst when the latter bogeyed three of the final four holes.

The LIV golfer’s luck ran out Friday on his second nine, the front nine. A 13-foot birdie putt at No. 2 got him to 5 over for the championship, within eight shots of the lead.

However, after a bogey at No. 3, DeChambeau had to punch out of Oakmont’s thick rough at the fifth fairway and then skied his third shot into a bunker behind the green. He made double bogey there, followed by consecutive bogeys at Nos. 6 and 7.

McIlroy struggled with Oakmont’s sand early on. At the first hole, he barely got his ball out of a bunker he found off the tee, and his third shot missed the green in the back left corner. That double bogey was duplicated at No. 3 when he landed in another bunker and his second shot traveled an official 14 feet, 2 inches into the rough.

He steadied out with a string of pars and a 32 1/2-foot birdie putt at the ninth hole. One bogey and one birdie later, with the cut line in question, McIlroy landed his approach at No. 18 past the pin and put just enough backspin on it to help it catch a slope and trickle down within 5 feet.

At the time, the birdie was crucial because it was uncertain whether 6 or 7 over par would be the cut line. With 13 players left to finish one or two holes Saturday following a suspension for dangerous weather, the cut is expected at 7 over.

Neither DeChambeau nor McIlroy was available to reporters after his round.

They weren’t the only star players to let Oakmont get the best of them on Friday. Scottie Scheffler is 4 over after a five-bogey, four-birdie round of 71.

“It’s challenging out there,” Scheffler said. “I was not getting the ball in the correct spots and paying the price for it. Felt like me getting away with 1 over today wasn’t all that bad. It could have been a lot worse.”

Four of the top 10 players in the Official World Golf Ranking — Sweden’s Ludvig Aberg (8 over), DeChambeau, Austria’s Sepp Straka (11 over) and Justin Thomas (12 over) — missed the cut. A fifth, Hideki Matsuyama of Japan, made it on the expected number at 7 over.

Others who won’t advance include Wyndham Clark, Patrick Cantlay, Phil Mickelson and Australian Cameron Smith at 8 over; Tommy Fleetwood of England at 9 over; Dustin Johnson at 10 over; Englishman Justin Rose at 14 over; and Ireland’s Shane Lowry at 17 over.

–Adam Zielonka, Field Level Media

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NBA NEWS

THUNDER TIE FINALS BEHIND SHAI’S LATE GAME 4 HEROICS

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Game on the line, season quite possibly on the line, the Oklahoma City Thunder had only one place to turn.

They went to the MVP.

And Shai Gilgeous-Alexander delivered, scoring 15 of his 35 points in the final 4:38, capping Oklahoma City’s rally from a 10-point, second-half deficit and sealing a 111-104 win over the Indiana Pacers 111-104 on Friday night to tie the NBA Finals at two games apiece.

“He definitely showed who he is tonight,” Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said.

It was all SGA for OKC down the stretch. The Thunder closed the game on a 16-7 run; he had all but one of those points.

“We played with desperation to end the game,” Gilgeous-Alexander said, “and that’s why we won.”

Jalen Williams added 27, Alex Caruso had 20 and Chet Holmgren finished with 14 points and 15 rebounds for the Thunder. They did it the hard way — with a season-low three 3-pointers, and no assists from Gilgeous-Alexander for the first time all season.

Pascal Siakam scored 20 for Indiana, which got 18 from Tyrese Haliburton and 17 from Obi Toppin.

Game 5 of the series — now essentially a best-of-three — is at Oklahoma City on Monday night, with the Thunder now having reclaimed home-court advantage.

“This kind of a challenge is going to have extreme highs and extreme lows,” Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said. “This is a low right now and we’re going to have to bounce back from it.”

The Thunder basically saved their realistic chance at winning the title. Teams with a 3-1 series lead in the NBA Finals have gone on to win the championship 37 times in 38 past chances. The Pacers looked well on their way to being the 39th team with such an edge, before Gilgeous-Alexander saved the day.

“We knew it when we woke up this morning; 3-1 is a lot different than 2-2 going back home,” Gilgeous-Alexander said.

The Pacers came out flying, scoring 20 points in the first 4:59 — only the second time all season the Thunder gave up so many so quickly. They led by as many as nine early, but were unable to pull away.

And things got chippy for the first time in the series: Toppin was called for a Flagrant 1 on Caruso midway through the second quarter, then Toppin was the recipient of a Flagrant 1 from Lu Dort just before the half. The Pacers closed on a 15-6 run, taking a 60-57 lead into the break.

Toppin’s baseline dunk late in the third put Indiana up 86-76, its first double-digit lead of the series coming late in the 15th quarter of the series. Back came OKC: A 13-3 run tied the game early in the fourth at 89, the first of a handful of those down the stretch.

Tied at 91. Tied at 95. Tied at 97. And, finally, the lead: Gilgeous-Alexander’s step-back with 2:23 left put the Thunder up 104-103, their first lead of the second half.

They kept it the rest of the way.

“We wanted to win,” Siakam said. “I thought we played well enough for some stretches … but unfortunately, it didn’t happen.”

REPORT: WESTBROOK DECLINES $3.4M OPTION, WILL BECOME UFA

Denver Nuggets guard Russell Westbrook declined his $3.4-million player option and will become an unrestricted free agent on June 30, sources told ESPN’s Shams Charania on Friday.

Denver is $10.6 million below the second apron with 12 players under contract after Westbrook declined his option, according to ESPN’s Bobby Marks.

The former MVP recently announced that he underwent surgery to repair two broken bones in his right hand.

Westbrook posted 13.3 points, 6.1 assists, and 4.9 rebounds across 75 games in his one season in Denver. The 36-year-old also led the Nuggets’ bench unit during the playoffs, averaging 11.7 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 2.7 assists in 24 minutes per contest.

Denver went 50-32 this season but fired longtime head coach Michael Malone just ahead of the postseason. Assistant David Adelman took over on an interim basis before the club gave him the full-time head coaching gig in early May.

The Oklahoma City Thunder eliminated the Nuggets in Round 2 of the postseason.

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NHL NEWS

STANLEY CUP FINAL IS BECOMING A SHOWCASE FOR THE OILERS’ LEON DRAISAITL

SUNRISE, Fla. (AP) — This is becoming Leon Draisaitl’s Stanley Cup Final for the Edmonton Oilers.

The standout German forward has scored the overtime goal in each of their two wins in the championship series rematch against the Florida Panthers, including Thursday night in Game 4 to pull Edmonton even. He’s just the fifth player in NHL history and first in more than three decades to score twice in overtime in the final.

“He’s as clutch as it gets,” goaltender Calvin Pickard said while sitting next to Draisaitl, who also had a pair of assists for a three-point performance. “Always scores big goals at big times.”

Draisaitl’s four OT goals this playoffs are the most in a single postseason. John LeClair was the last to score two OT goals in a final for Montreal back in 1993, the last time a Canadian team won the Cup.

Edmonton is two victories away from ending that drought thanks in large part to Draisaitl delivering when it matters most.

“It’s incredible,” longtime teammate Ryan Nugent-Hopkins said. “He’s a horse out there for us — just always. It’s just constant. It’s consistent. We always can lean on him, and he always finds a way to get those big ones.”

It’s also nothing new. Among modern day players with at least 40 games of playoff experience, only Hall of Famers Wayne Gretzky and Mario Lemieux and teammate Connor McDavid have produced at a higher rate at the toughest time of the year to put the puck in the net.

Draisaitl is averaging 1.49 points a game, and this series has been a showcase for him after being far less than 100% a year ago when he and the Oilers lost in the final. All the overtimes aren’t bothering him.

“I feel great,” Draisaitl said. “It’s a long season, of course, for either side. We’ve played the same amount of minutes in this series. Fatigue kicks in at some point, but your adrenaline usually takes over and you just chip away at it, chip away at it.”

Draisaitl addressed teammates after a 6-1 loss in Game 3 on Monday night, an uncharacteristic effort from the oldest team in the league. He was equally as unpleased after Edmonton fell behind 3-0 in the first period of Game 4.

“We were kind of lollygagging around a little bit,” Draisaitl said. “It’s certainly not the time to lollygag around, especially after getting spanked in Game 3.”

The Oilers rallied to tie it, took the lead and then gave up the tying goal with 19.5 seconds left in regulation. That set the stage for Draisaitl to lead the way with his play, not just his words.

“He not only says what he’s going to do, he backs it up with his play and his actions,” defenseman Darnell Nurse said. “That’s what makes him an amazing leader. We get into overtime, those tense moments and he has an ability to relax in them and just make plays. He gets rewarded for working hard.”

Draisaitl accurately called his goal “a fortunate bounce — no secret about it.” But there were enough plays throughout the night that he did not finish, so call it even.

With the Panthers putting all their energy into stopping McDavid, Draisaitl is taking over just about any time he’s on the ice.

“Leon, I don’t know what could be said that really conveys what he brings to our team — not only the leadership but the play,” coach Kris Knoblauch said. “He has just elevated his game in the toughest moments.”

Draisaitl is making his case for the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP, the award McDavid won last year in a losing effort and refused to leave the locker room to accept. He pulled even with McDavid as the favorite on BetMGM Sportsbook after scoring in overtime and tying him for the postseason scoring lead with 32 points.

Asked how Draisaitl seems to be so automatic in overtime and other clutch situations, teammate Vasily Podkolzin responded: “Because he’s one of the best players in the world. That’s why.”

PANTHERS POWER PLAY PRODUCTION COULD BE AN EDGE IN TIGHT STANLEY CUP FINAL AGAINST THE OILERS

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — Staying out of the penalty box is a good place to start for all the players involved in the Stanley Cup Final.

After talking all week about being more disciplined, the Edmonton Oilers were whistled for high-sticking a couple of times and tripping once in the first 16 minutes of Game 4 on Thursday night. Naturally, Matthew Tkachuk scored twice for Florida Panthers, and then a slashing call put the Oilers on the power play and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins’ goal sparked their comeback that tied the series.

“It’s a good series,” Tkachuk said. “Special teams, both teams’ power play seemed to be clicking.”

Florida is clicking at a higher rate at 33%, going 7 of 21 with the man advantage, compared with 20% on 4 of 20 for Edmonton. In a final knotted 2-2 that has often been as tight as it can be with three games already decided in overtime, the Panthers’ power play production has the potential to be a difference-maker.

Until Tkachuk broke through, it had been the second unit of Brad Marchand, Sam Bennett, Carter Verhaeghe, Evan Rodrigues and Nate Schmidt doing most of the damage.

“We’re building a lot of chemistry playing together,” Verhaeghe said. “We have so many great players on the unit. Both units have been pretty good. I mean, we just want to move the puck right and get pucks to the net.”

The Panthers have five power play goals over the past two games and have scored at least one every night in the final. The Oilers have also cracked Sergei Bobrovsky at least once on the power play each game. Nugent-Hopkins scoring Thursday night could be a sign Connor McDavid and Co. are revving up against what has been a fairly effective Florida penalty kill.

Coach Paul Maurice believes that task has gone “reasonably well.”

“I think they’re still going to generate some action,” Maurice said Friday before flying across North America. “I think the even strength chances are pretty tight through four games.”

Ekholm’s block

Tkachuk almost completed a hat trick in Game 4, and it could have changed the course of the entire series. With the score tied at 3-all late in the second period, he had the puck with a wide-open net to shoot at.

Edmonton defenseman Mattias Ekholm got his right skate and leg in front of Tkachuk’s shot just in time.

“I didn’t even know that the net was empty or anything — I was just in the moment trying to get as big as possible,” Ekholm said. “It ended up hitting me. It was obviously a big block at the time. I haven’t thought too much more about it. It was a block, and sometimes you need those.”

Better Barkov?

Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov picked up his first two points of the series in Game 4 with assists on Tkachuk’s power-play goals. He has none at even strength.

Some of that could be connected to how much energy Barkov — a three-time Selke Trophy winner as the NHL’s best defensive forward — is expending trying to keep McDavid’s line and also Leon Draisaitl from scoring. He does not want to use that as an excuse.

“It’s tough to say,” Barkov said. “You need to know, those two guys, where they are on the ice. Of course you’re trying to have your head on a swivel, but I think I could be better, for sure.”

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COLLEGE BASEBALL

FLORIDA STATE SS ALEX LODISE WINS THE DICK HOWSER TROPHY AS THE TOP COLLEGE PLAYER IN THE NATION

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Florida State shortstop Alex Lodise has been named winner of the Dick Howser Trophy as the national player of the year, the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association announced Friday.

Lodise is the third player in program history to win the Howser, joining J.D. Drew in 1997 and Buster Posey in 2008. The award has been presented annually since 1987 and is named after former FSU All-American and head coach Dick Howser.

Lodise was named Atlantic Coast Conference player and defensive player of the year, and he also is a finalist for the Golden Spikes Award as the top amateur player in the nation and Brooks Wallace Award as the nation’s top shortstop.

Lodise ranked among the national leaders with a .394 batting average, 17 home runs, 18 doubles, 68 RBIs and .705 slugging percentage. He committed only five errors on 216 fielding chances (.977) and was part of 34 double plays.

The junior from Jacksonville, Florida, had at least one hit in 48 of his 58 games. He had 31 multi-hit games and 13 games with three or more hits. Among his season highlights was hitting for the cycle in a March 25 game against Florida — finishing it with a walk-off grand slam.

COASTAL CAROLINA USES 3-RUN 8TH INNING TO BEAT ARIZONA 7-4 IN CWS OPENER, EXTEND STREAK TO 24 GAMES

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Coastal Carolina broke open a tied game with three runs in the eighth inning, Dominick Carbone shut down a threat by Arizona in the ninth and the Chanticleers opened the College World Series with a 7-4 victory Friday.

The Chanticleers (54-11) extended their winning streak to 24 games in their first appearance in Omaha since they beat Arizona in the 2016 finals. They’ll play Sunday against the winner of Friday night’s game between Louisville and No. 8 national seed Oregon State.

“We’ve got a dugout full of hungry and humble dogs,” Coastal Carolina coach Kevin Schnall said.

Arizona (44-20), in the CWS for the first time since 2021, will play the Louisville-Oregon State loser on Sunday.

Coastal Carolina scored single runs in the fifth and sixth innings to forge a 4-all tie with the Wildcats and took the lead in the eighth after reliever Garrett Hicks (5-1) retired the first two batters.

Wells Skyes sliced an 0-2 pitch just inside the right-field line for a double and Caden Bodine was intentionally walked before Sebastian Alexander, who struck out in his previous three at-bats, singled in the go-ahead run. Arizona closer Tony Pluta came on and gave up Blake Barthol’s two-run double.

“This is my last year of college eligibility and I’m giving it everything I’ve got for this team,” Sykes said. “I’ve got a ton of respect for my teammates and my coaches, and I think the big crowds and the loud environments are helping. We’re locked in. We’re on a crazy win streak. We’re really consistent.

“So I think that’s helped everybody, not just me.”

Schnall said Sykes, the No. 9 batter who transferred from The Citadel, was the right man at the right time in the eighth inning.

“He’s got guts,” Schnall said. “He’s great under tension and stress. He lives for those moments. He’s had some massive hits this postseason starting the conference tournament. But I’m really proud of him because he’s really worked hard and he really bought into the Coastal way Day 1.”

The Wildcats had runners on the corners with no outs in the ninth. Carbone struck out pinch-hitter Dom Rodriguez and then got Brendan Summerhill to hit into a game-ending double play.

“It came down to some great two-strike hitting by them,” Wildcats coach Chip Hale said. “Great pitch almost on the ground. Guy dunks it into right for a double. Then they get jammed, hit a ball into center for a base hit. … That’s why they have the record they have and they’ve been able to run so many off.”

The Chanticleers of the Sun Belt Conference arrived with the most wins and on the longest winning streak ever entering a CWS.

Gary Gilmore, who coached the 2016 national championship team and retired after last season, accepted Coastal Carolina coach Kevin Schnall’s invitation to fly with the team to Omaha. He watched the game from the stands.

Chanticleers reliever Cameron Flukey (8-1) pitched four innings in relief of Riley Eikhoff and allowed two runs and two hits with a walk.

Coastal Carolina finished with 14 hits against four pitchers. Blagen Pado, who entered the NCAA Tournament batting .225, continued his postseason tear. He went 2 for 4 and is now 10 of 21 (.476) with three homers and eight RBIs over six tournament games.

Arizona’s Mason White hit his 20th homer of the season, and 49th of his career, in the fourth inning, with Alexander leaping at the left-field fence and having the ball soar just over his outstretched glove.

The Wildcats’ Owen Kramkowski, coming off his worst start of the season in an 18-2 loss at North Carolina in Game 1 of the super regionals, scattered nine singles and a walk while giving up three runs in five innings. He struck out seven.

OREGON STATE RECOVERS FROM BLOWN LEAD, EDGES LOUISVILLE AT MWCS

OMAHA, Neb. — Gavin Turley doubled home Aiva Arquette in the bottom of the ninth inning, giving Oregon State a walk-off 4-3 over Louisville in a Men’s College World Series opening-round game on Friday night.

The Beavers (48-14-1) needed the late dramatics after blowing a 3-1 lead in the top of the ninth when Louisville (40-23) benefitted from two Oregon State throwing errors on the same play.

Turley, the Beavers’ career leader in homers and RBIs, went 2-for-5 with two RBIs. Arquette finished 3-for-5.

In the top of the ninth, Zion Rose hit a leadoff triple and scored on Tague Davis’ single to center, bringing the Cardinals within 3-2. After a pinch runner was caught stealing, the double-error play put a runner at third, and Kamau Neighbors hit a game-tying single.

The Beavers recovered when Arquette hit a one-out single and came home on Turley’s double.

Kellan Oakes (5-0) got the win despite blowing the lead. Jake Schweitzer (4-3) took the loss.

Pitching dominated most of the night, as Oregon State’s Dax Whitney and Louisville’s Patrick Forbes combined for 19 strikeouts, 11 in the first three innings. Whitney allowed an unearned run in 5 1/3 innings while fanning nine and walking one. Forbes permitted three runs on seven hits in 5 1/3 frames with 10 strikeouts and a walk.

Oregon State scored twice in the fourth on four hits, a wild pitch and an RBI groundout. Louisville got on the board in the sixth on an RBI infield single, only to see the Beavers get that run back in the bottom of the inning via a fielding error.

The Beavers will face Coastal Carolina (54-11) in a winners-bracket game on Sunday, while Louisville gets Arizona (44-20) in an elimination contest on Sunday.

–Brian J. Pedersen, Field Level Media

MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL NEWS

IN CHARLIE HUSTLE’S DAY, 110% EFFORT WAS NON-NEGOTIABLE. IN MODERN BASEBALL, IT’S MORE COMPLICATED

DENVER (AP) — Imagine this inspirational slogan on a T-shirt: Give 70% effort.

It’s not quite as catchy as the 110% baseball players have been instructed to exert since Little League. But maybe, just maybe, Jazz Chisholm Jr.’s on to something with his theory that going 70% might be the way to be his best self — and cut down on strained obliques or pulled hamstrings in the process.

Only, hustle is woven into the fabric of the game. Nicknames derive from it (Charlie Hustle) and awards are built around it ( Heart & Hustle ).

This season, hustle has already come into play on several occasions. Most notably, when Juan Soto, the Mets $765 million star, didn’t run hard to second base after smacking a ball high off the Green Monster at Fenway Park.

In this modern era of baseball, where the average salary topped $5 million for the first time this season, the politics of hustle may play a role. There’s the fundamental notion of hustle (run everything out) set against the possible ramifications of hustle (injuries to high-priced players).

To the old guard, though, hustle is a non-negotiable. A lack thereof risks the wrath of not only teammates but a spot in a manager’s doghouse. Which is why Chisholm’s 70% mindset doesn’t quite fly for Ron Washington, a gritty player back in the late 1970s and ‘80s who now manages the Los Angeles Angels.

“You give the visual of 100% at all times,” the 73-year-old Washington told The Associated Press. “The only person who knows you’re 70% is you, but don’t tell people you’re 70%, so when they see you dog it, they say, ‘Well, he’s only 70%.’”

The definition of hustle

The Baseball Almanac defines hustle as “to play aggressively, quickly, and alertly.”

Translation: You know it when you see it.

Two months ago, Braves star Ronald Acuña Jr. criticized manager Brian Snitker’s lack of response to Jarred Kelenic failing to hustle out of the batter’s box. Acuña was removed from a Braves game on Aug. 19, 2019, when he was slow to leave the batter’s box on a long drive that bounced off the right-field wall for a long single.

“There’s no blanket thing,” Snitker said after the Kelenic situation on removing players for lack of hustle.

To Washington, the definition of hustle has “changed in this generation,” he said. ”Because (the lack of hustle) wouldn’t have been allowed in other generations. … Now people don’t want to pull their best player off the field when he acts like an (expletive). I’m sorry. They don’t want to pull him. Because you pull him, you just gutted the whole team.

“Back in the day, they didn’t care. You didn’t hustle, your (butt) is off the field. And you know who took care of it when they took you off the field? The players. Not management. Not the manager, not the coaches. The players took care of it.”

That’s Vinny Castilla’s take, too. The two-time All-Star for the Colorado Rockies in the 1990s had veterans pull him aside when sometimes “you don’t feel too good and you don’t go 100%.”

“The veterans step in and say, ‘Hey, man, you’ve got to do it. You’ve got to hustle every day,’” Castilla said. “Hustle doesn’t change. … Some players love to play hard and get their uniform dirty, and some players don’t like to do it.”

Give 100% of how you feel

Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said that he generally expects players to give 100% each day, but that’s relative to how their feeling. As a recent example, Lovullo cited star outfielder Corbin Carroll, who was nursing a tight hamstring during a series in Cincinnati.

“For Corbin the past couple days, just give me 100% of what you have,” Lovullo said. “So, yeah, we’ll protect players.”

In most cases, Lovullo said, hustle is a hard thing to turn on and off.

“If a player is healthy, I feel like there’s no reason to not go 100%. To run fast, you’ve got to practice running fast,” he said. “To throw hard, you’ve got to practice throwing hard. You can’t turn it on and off. I think you’re risking injury when you don’t go hard and then all (of a) sudden you need to go hard.”

The 70% approach

Chisholm believes he found the key to playing well and staying healthy by going 70%. The New York Yankees infielder postulated that his success since returning from the injured list has been caused by limiting intensity.

“Play at 70%: defense, offense, running, everything,” Chisholm said. “Stay healthy. You don’t overswing. You don’t swing and miss as much, and you’re a great player at 70%.”

Of course, that wouldn’t have gone over well with “Charlie Hustle” himself — the late Pete Rose, who elevated hustling to an art form.

That was also before the age of the viral bat flip. Admiring homers is not just permitted, it’s encouraged — and doesn’t result in a fastball to the ribs the next go-around at the plate. In Soto’s case, he appeared slow out of the box after watching what he thought was a homer.

It’s a different time from Washington’s day.

“The game became young and it got to the point where we don’t want to hurt nobody’s feelings,” he said. “I don’t remember (longtime big-league manager) Gene Mauch giving a (expletive) about hurting my feelings. … You didn’t get the job done, then I’m letting you know you didn’t get the job done. And if you don’t want me screaming at you, guess what you better do? Get the job done!”

It’s a balancing act for sure.

“Some days are tougher than others. We always say that,” Nationals manager Dave Martinez said. “We’re going to play hard for 27 outs. There’s gonna be days where Woody (22-year-old budding star James Wood) sometimes will run out a groundball because he knows he’ got a chance to make it. There will be some days where he hits a 110-mph one-hopper where he doesn’t go hard out of the box, and I can understand that.”

Hustle, much like Chisholm’s theory, remains complicated.

“Some of it is what you would call eyewash, and some of it’s real,” Brewers manager Pat Murphy explained. “Real hustle means staying present in the game and staying on the game, being relentless in pitch-to-pitch readiness. Sometimes you can’t even see it. I can see it.

“Your mind’s decided on something else. You’re worried about your contract or you’re worried about next year or you’re worried about a .300 batting average versus .299. I look at that as kind of lack of proper focus, not necessarily not hustling, the actual physical hustle. I think these guys play their (butts) off.”

The stare

Yankees outfielder Cody Bellinger learned the importance of hustle through a stare. He and his teammates growing up called it the “Clay Stare.” It was the look from Bellinger’s father, Clay, his longtime coach who helped instill the values of the game.

“You don’t ever want the ‘Clay Stare,’” Bellinger said. “My dad was always like, ‘Hey, run balls out. People are always watching.’”

Bellinger’s been benched in his career, like when he was with the Dodgers in 2018 and manager Dave Roberts sat him for not hustling on a double.

“Hustle, I think, it’s one of the few things in this game you can control,” Bellinger said. “You can’t control where you hit the ball. But you can always control hustle and energy.”

BREWERS TRADE RHP AARON CIVALE TO THE WHITE SOX FOR 1B ANDREW VAUGHN

MILWAUKEE (AP) — The Milwaukee Brewers have traded right-hander Aaron Civale and cash to the Chicago White Sox for first baseman Andrew Vaughn.

The Brewers moved quickly after they announced they were removing Civale from their rotation. The pitcher said Thursday he wanted to remain a starter even if it meant leaving Milwaukee.

One day later, Civale was traded. The Brewers also are sending $807,000 to the White Sox as part of the deal.

“We’re exploring opportunities for me to get back into a rotation, whether that’s here or elsewhere,” Civale said Thursday on his 30th birthday. “That type of decision is out of my hands. We’re exploring the options to give me the chance to do what I do best, and that’s to go out there and start.”

Civale is 1-2 with a 4.91 ERA this season. He has allowed seven runs over 19 innings in four starts since returning from the injured list May 22 after dealing with a strained left hamstring.

The Brewers took Civale out of their rotation because they had a surplus of starters after promoting prospect Jacob Misiorowski, who threw five innings of no-hit ball while helping Milwaukee beat the St. Louis Cardinals 6-0 in his major league debut Thursday.

Milwaukee’s rotation also includes Freddy Peralta (5-4, 2.69 ERA), José Quintana (4-1, 2.66 ERA), Quinn Priester (4-2 3.65 ERA) and Chad Patrick (3-6, 3.25 ERA).

Although Civale pitched in relief in two postseason games — one in 2022 with Cleveland and another last year in Milwaukee — all of his regular-season appearances in the major and minor leagues have come in a starting role. Civale, who is 40-37 with a 4.06 ERA in 122 career big league starts, is making $8 million this year and is eligible for free agency at the end of the season.

The Brewers acquired Civale in a July trade with the Tampa Bay Rays, who got him in a 2023 trade-deadline deal with the Cleveland Guardians.

Civale becomes the third former Brewer to join the White Sox in the last month. The White Sox also claimed infielder Vinny Capra off waivers from the Brewers and signed pitcher Tyler Alexander after Milwaukee designated him for assignment.

The 27-year-old Vaughn, who also has made big league starts in right and left field, hit .189 with a .218 on-base percentage, five homers and 19 RBIs in 48 games with Chicago before he was optioned to Triple-A Charlotte on May 23. He will report to the Brewers’ Triple-A Nashville affiliate.

He has a career average of .248 with a .303 on-base percentage, 77 homers and 293 RBIs in 610 games for the White Sox, who selected him out of the University of California with the third overall pick in the 2019 draft.

In other moves Friday, the Brewers recalled right-hander Grant Anderson and outfielder Drew Avans from Triple-A Nashville. Outfielder Daz Cameron was placed on the paternity list.

MLB ROUNDUP: A’S TOP ROYALS TO HALT 14-GAME ROAD SKID

Luis Severino continued his dominance on the road by allowing just one run in 7 2/3 innings as the Athletics snapped their 14-game road losing streak with a 6-4 win over the scuffling Kansas City Royals on Friday.

Severino (2-6) owns a 7.10 ERA and an 0-6 record in nine home starts, but he is 2-0 with a 0.93 ERA in six road outings.

The veteran right-hander surrendered only a first-inning run and six hits on Friday while also reaching 1,000 career innings. He struck out one and walked two while helping the A’s post their first road win since May 13.

Austin Wynns and Luis Urias homered for the Athletics, who snapped a three-game overall skid.

Nick Loftin had a two-RBI triple during a three-run ninth off Mason Miller for Kansas City, which has dropped four straight as part of a 10-20 rut. Royals starter Michael Wacha (3-6) was charged with five runs and allowed nine hits with two walks over 5 1/3 innings. He struck out five.

Pirates 2, Cubs 1 (10 innings)

Isiah Kiner-Falefa drove in the go-ahead run in the top of the 10th inning to lift Pittsburgh to a win against host Chicago.

Kiner-Falefa hit a bases-loaded sacrifice fly off reliever Drew Pomeranz (2-1) to bring in Adam Frazier, the automatic runner, as Pittsburgh evened the four-game series. Reliever Dennis Santana (2-1) was perfect through 1 2/3 innings in the eighth and ninth innings for the Pirates, who have won six of their past eight games.

The Cubs have lost four of their past six. Rookie starter Cade Horton gave up three hits, walked one and fanned four in 5 2/3 innings for the Cubs, who have lost four of their past six. Dansby Swanson had the hosts’ lone RBI on a fielder’s choice.

Phillies 8, Blue Jays 0

Ranger Suarez scattered four singles over seven innings and Kyle Schwarber hit a three-run homer to lead Philadelphia over visiting Toronto in the opener of a three-game series.

Suarez (5-1) walked one and struck out six while matching his longest outing of the season. It was the seventh consecutive quality start for Suarez, who has allowed just six earned runs over 46 2/3 innings in his last seven starts for an ERA of 1.16.

Toronto starter Kevin Gausman (5-5) suffered the loss, allowing four runs on four hits over five innings. Alejandro Kirk had two hits for the Blue Jays, who had a three-game winning streak snapped.

Red Sox 2, Yankees 1 (10 innings)

Carlos Narvaez’s RBI single in the bottom of the 10th inning drove in David Hamilton with the game-winning run as Boston beat visiting New York in the opener of a three-game series.

Narvaez’s game-winning hit came against Tim Hill (3-2) with two outs in the inning. Garrett Whitlock (5-0) earned the win for pitching a scoreless 10th.

The Yankees trailed 1-0 until Aaron Judge hit a solo home run off Garrett Crochet with one out in the ninth. Judge, who has 26 home runs this season, had struck out in his three previous at-bats.

Tigers 11, Reds 5

Riley Greene homered and drove in four runs, Gleyber Torres blasted a pair of solo homers and host Detroit rolled past Cincinnati.

Torres drove in three while Javier Baez had three hits, including a homer, scored three runs and drove in two more. Jake Rogers added two hits and drove in two. Keider Montero (3-1) gave up two runs in five innings to pick up the win.

TJ Friedl and Elly Da La Cruz homered for Cincinnati. De La Cruz and Tyler Stephenson each had three hits and two RBIs. Nick Martinez (4-7) gave up four runs in five innings.

Rays 7, Mets 5

Danny Jansen’s two-run homer capped a six-run sixth inning as Tampa Bay handed New York a rare home loss in the opener of a three-game set.

Jansen’s sixth homer of the year scored Kameron Misner and made a winner of former New York pitcher Eric Orze (1-0), who earned his first MLB win with an inning of scoreless relief.

Max Kranick (3-2), making his first appearance for the Mets after being recalled from Triple-A Syracuse earlier Friday, was tagged with the loss. It was just New York’s eighth defeat in 35 games at Citi Field this year and snapped its six-game winning streak.

Braves 12, Rockies 4

Michael Harris II and Marcell Ozuna both hit three-run homers to help Atlanta come back and defeat visiting Colorado in the opener of their three-game series.

Atlanta has won three of four and Colorado has lost six of its last seven. Atlanta leads the season series 3-1. Atlanta tied the game 4-4 in the sixth when Harris hit a three-run homer. Ozuna gave the Braves the lead in the seventh with his three-run blast off reliever Victor Vodnik (1-2) to make a winner of Enyel De Los Santos (2-2).

For Colorado, Ryan McMahon caught a center-cut changeup in the first inning and drove it 441 feet to dead center for a two-run homer and a 2-0 lead. He went 3-for-4 with a double and three RBIs.

Brewers 3, Cardinals 2

William Contreras drove in two runs, Freddy Peralta allowed one run in six innings and Milwaukee held on against visiting St. Louis, which dropped its sixth consecutive game.

Peralta (6-4) allowed one run on four hits. Jared Koenig and Abner Uribe followed with a scoreless inning apiece, marking Uribe’s eighth straight scoreless outing.

Cardinals starter Erick Fedde (3-6) allowed three runs on four hits in 5 1/3 innings.

Rangers 3, White Sox 1

Josh Smith homered and scored all three runs for Texas as the surging Rangers defeated Chicago in the opener of a three-game series in Arlington, Texas.

The Rangers won for the fifth time in their past six games while Chicago dropped its third straight. Reliever Jacob Webb (4-3) threw two shutout innings, and Robert Garcia escaped a bases-loaded jam in the ninth for his fifth save.

White Sox starter Adrian Houser (2-2) went five innings and allowed three runs. Luis Robert Jr. had two hits and doubled home Chicago’s lone run.

Orioles 2, Angels 0

Charlie Morton struck out 10 in five innings and Baltimore withstood two lengthy weather delays to win the opener of a three-game series against visiting Los Angeles.

Ryan O’Hearn and Ramon Laureano homered for the Orioles, who are 2-2 on their six-game homestand.

Morton (3-7) was sharp from the get-go, but he didn’t return following a rain delay in the bottom of the fifth. He allowed five hits and issued one walk, becoming the first pitcher in Orioles history to produce two games with 10 or more strikeouts in five or fewer innings.

Astros 10, Twins 3

Jeremy Pena recorded a four-hit game, and Jose Altuve drove in three runs in support of rookie left-hander Colton Gordon, who produced a second consecutive strong start as Houston claimed a victory over visiting Minnesota.

Gordon (2-1) notched his second career victory and first quality start by limiting the Twins to two solo home runs over six innings. Cam Smith and Jacob Melton finished a combined 4-for-6 with five RBIs.

Willi Castro and Royce Lewis homered for the Twins. Right-hander Chris Paddack (2-6) allowed nine runs (eight earned) on a career-high-tying 12 hits over four innings.

Mariners 7, Guardians 2

Randy Arozarena broke a tie with an RBI single in a four-run seventh inning as Seattle defeated visiting Cleveland in the opener of a three-game series.

Rowdy Tellez and Jorge Polanco each had a double and a homer for the Mariners, who snapped a three-game losing streak and won for just the second time in their past 10 games. Mariners reliever Carlos Vargas (2-5) got the victory.

Nolan Jones and Steven Kwan hit back-to-back homers for the Guardians, who have lost six of eight.

Diamondbacks 5, Padres 1

Josh Naylor and Corbin Carroll homered as Arizona beat San Diego in Phoenix during the first meeting between the National League West rivals this season.

Geraldo Perdomo and Lourdes Gurriel Jr. each had two hits and an RBI and Ketel Marte extended his on-base streak to 25 with a single and a walk for the D-backs, who have won four in a row and eight of 11. Ryne Nelson (3-2) gave up six hits and an unearned run in five innings.

Fernando Tatis Jr. had two hits and scored the lone run for the Padres, who have lost three of four and six of nine. His fifth-inning single was the last of San Diego’s six hits. Stephen Kolek (3-2) permitted five runs (four earned) in 4 1/3 innings.

Giants 6, Dodgers 2

Casey Schmitt hit his first career grand slam and visiting San Francisco earned a victory over Los Angeles as the longtime rivals met for the first time this season.

San Francisco right-hander Logan Webb (6-5) gave up two runs on two hits over seven innings as the Giants moved into a tie with the Dodgers atop the National League West. Willy Adames and Andrew Knizner each hit solo shots for the Giants.

Dodgers right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto (6-5) struggled with his control, allowing five runs on six hits over 4 2/3 innings. Teoscar Hernandez homered and singled for Los Angeles’ only two hits.

Marlins 11, Nationals 9

Rookie Agustin Ramirez had three hits, including two solo home runs, and Miami held on to win at Washington in a game delayed more than two hours by rain in the fourth inning.

Dane Myers had three hits and two RBIs for the Marlins, and Eric Wagaman had two hits and drove in three. Tyler Phillips (1-0) pitched two-thirds of an inning in relief, and Calvin Faucher tossed a scoreless ninth for his sixth save.

James Wood had three hits, including a homer, scored three runs and drove in four for the Nationals, who lost their six straight game. Mitchell Parker (4-7) allowed six runs in 3 1/3 innings.

–Field Level Media

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NFL NEWS

EX-NFL STAR WIDE RECEIVER ANTONIO BROWN FACING ATTEMPTED MURDER CHARGES IN MIAMI SHOOTING

Former NFL player Antonio Brown is facing an attempted murder charge stemming from a shooting that took place during an altercation outside an amateur boxing event in Miami, according to an arrest warrant.

Brown, 36, is accused of grabbing a handgun from a security staffer and firing two shots at a man he had gotten into a fistfight with earlier. The victim, Zul-Qarnain Kwame Nantambu, told investigators one of the bullets grazed his neck.

The warrant does not list an attorney for Brown, an All-Pro wide receiver who last played in the NFL in 2021 for Tampa Bay but spent most of his 12-year career with Pittsburgh. Brown did not respond to messages sent to his social media accounts.

The second-degree attempted murder charge carries a maximum 15-year prison sentence and up to a $10,000 fine.

It is the latest in a series of legal problems for Brown, who has previously been accused of battery of a moving truck driver, several domestic violence charges, failure to pay child support and other incidents. During a 2021 game with Tampa Bay against the New York Jets, Brown took off his jersey, shoulder pads and gloves and ran off the field, leading to his release by the Buccaneers.

After that incident, Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady said people should show some compassion for Brown, who lived at Brady’s home during his time in Tampa Bay.

“It’s a difficult situation,” Brady said then. “Everybody should do what they can to help him in ways that he really needs it. We all love him. We care about him deeply. We want to see him be at his best. Unfortunately, it won’t be with our team.”

According to the arrest warrant, Brown attended a celebrity boxing event in Miami on May 16. Police were called to the location after other patrons reported hearing shots fired. Several of them told officers Brown was the shooter, but when he was detained in the parking lot no weapon was found, but two bullet casings were located.

Brown was released then because the victim was not found immediately, according to the warrant. Later, investigators learned Nantambu was the victim.

Based on surveillance video, the altercation outside the boxing event involving Brown, Nantambu and others was broken up by security staff, one of whom got into a struggle with Brown, the warrant says.

“Mr. Brown appears to retrieve a black firearm from the right hip area” of the security official, the warrant says. “Cellphone video obtained from social media showed Mr. Brown with the firearm in his hand advancing toward Mr. Nantambu on the outside sidewalk. The video captures two shots which occur as Mr. Brown is within several feet of Mr. Nantambu.”

Nantambu identified Brown as the shooter and told investigators he had known Brown since 2022.

In a social media post after the altercation, Brown said he was “jumped by multiple individuals who tried to steal my jewelry and cause physical harm to me.”

During his playing career, Brown caught 928 passes for 12,291 yards and 88 touchdowns. He played for the Pittsburgh Steelers, Oakland Raiders, New England Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, winning the 2021 Super Bowl along with Brady. Brown was a seven-time Pro Bowl selection.

BUFFALO BILLS SIGN 1ST-ROUND PICK MAXWELL HAIRSTON

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — The Buffalo Bills have signed their first-round draft pick, cornerback Maxwell Hairston, to his rookie contract.

Buffalo addressed a key need in its secondary when it selected the 21-year-old Hairston with the No. 30 pick out of Kentucky in April. The 5-foot-11 player is noted for his speed, and he tied a school record by returning three interceptions for touchdowns over his three-year career.

From Michigan, Hairston is being given an opportunity to compete for the starting job opposite Christian Benford.

Friday’s signing comes a day after the Bills completed their three-day mandatory minicamp, with the team now on break before opening training camp next month.

Hairston missed the final practice after hurting his left hamstring on Wednesday. General manager Brandon Beane described the injury as “a little tweak,” and expects the player to be ready for the start of camp.

Buffalo also signed its fourth-round pick, defensive tackle Deone Walker. The team has eight of its nine draft selections under contract, with the exception being its second-round pick, defensive tackle T.J. Sanders.

PETE CARROLL’S ABILITY TO TURN AROUND RAIDERS ONE OF MANY QUESTIONS FACING THE FRANCHISE

HENDERSON, Nev. (AP) — Pete Carroll bounced around the fields during the Raiders’ offseason practices, exhibiting the youthful enthusiasm that has been the most visible part of his identity throughout his coaching career.

Carroll is in his first season of trying to help the franchise — coming off a 4-13 season and without a playoff victory in 22 years — to recapture some of the glory that long ago made the Raiders an almost annual contender.

His players have spoken glowingly about his impact in such a short time.

“I don’t know how he’s doing it,” wide receiver Jakobi Meyers said. “It’s got to be some type of drug out there or something. He’s got a lot of energy. I truly respect how he keeps the guys going because it takes a lot to get a lot of grown men moving in the right direction.”

Carroll won championships in college at USC and in the NFL with Seattle. Can he get it done in Las Vegas?

It’s the most notable question coming out of minicamp, but not the only one as the Raiders take a break before reassembling in late July for training camp when the temperatures and pressures noticeably rise.

Christian Wilkins’ health

The Raiders thought they would have had standout defensive tackle Christian Wilkins on the practice field this offseason, but a setback in his recovery from a broken foot last season makes his return uncertain.

Another question is how effective Wilkins will be if/when he returns.

His absence has created an opportunity for other tackles to get more work, but there is no true replacement for Wilkins, who last year signed a four-year, $110 million contract.

“I pray that he heals whatever he’s battling,” defensive tackle Adam Butler said. “He’s a tough guy. He’s a great player. We all go through it, but it’s man up and we’re just going to keep working.”

Ashton Jeanty’s upside

Running back Ashton Jeanty, the sixth pick in this year’s NFL draft, has shown enough in practice without full pads and the hitting that comes with them to excite his coaches and teammates.

“You can see why he’s a first-round draft pick,” said fellow running back Raheem Mostert, who also called Jeanty “a generational talent.”

Jeanty will be counted on to boost a rushing game that last season averaged a league-worst 79.8 yards per game.

The Raiders also worked to develop Jeanty’s catching abilities, placing him all over the field to make him more difficult for opponents to defend.

His real challenge will come in training camp and the games that follow.

Kolton Miller’s contract

Some key players didn’t participate in other teams’ minicamps over contract disputes, but left tackle Kolton Miller wasn’t one of them.

Despite having just one season left on his three-year, $54 million deal, Miller was on the field for organized team activities and minicamp. He might be forced to play out this season without the promise of a new contract.

“I want to be a Raider for life,” the 29-year-old said. “I love it here. I don’t want to go anywhere else. I only know one way to do it, and that’s showing up and getting better each day.”

Impact of young players

The offseason practices showed Carroll isn’t afraid to throw rookies into the mix.

In addition to Jeanty from this year’s draft, third-round cornerback Darien Porter and fourth-round wide receiver Dont’e Thornton Jr. ran with the first team. Wide receiver Jack Bech, taken in the second round, also received lots of repetitions.

Other first-year players made notable contributions as well.

“This is not a new process,” Carroll said. “This is the way I’ve done it with rookies and freshmen in the whole thing for a long time. It just depends on how well you orchestrate what you ask them to do, and if they can find success, and then their confidence builds, and then before you know it you got a regular and that just helps our depth and helps us stay competitive.”

More help could be on way

The Raiders could be in the market for two-time Pro Bowl cornerback Jaire Alexander after Green Bay released him on Monday. Las Vegas has more than $36 million in salary-cap space, according to overthecap.com, to make a competitive offer to someone who figures to get his share of inquiries.

The club already brought in another notable free agent, announcing Thursday it signed linebacker Germaine Pratt, who was released in a salary-cutting move by Cincinnati on Monday.

Las Vegas signed him to a one-year, $4.25 million deal, someone with knowledge of the contract told The Associated Press. That person spoke on condition of anonymity because the details were not announced.

Pratt made 143 tackles for the Bengals last season, and his addition will add to a linebackers room that includes fellow newcomers Elandon Roberts and Devin White. The Raiders lost two starters at that position in free agency — Robert Spillane and Divine Deablo.

“To put these three guys together where they’re on the field at the same time, that’s a loaded-up group,” Carroll said. “They’re all tough and they’re all physical and they’re all downhill players, which is the style that we love to play with.”

BRIAN FLORES STILL FINDS JOY RUNNING THE VIKINGS DEFENSE AFTER BEING PASSED OVER FOR HEAD COACH JOBS

EAGAN, Minn. (AP) — The Minnesota Vikings were in full-team drills during minicamp on Thursday, when an unexpected pre-snap alignment by the defense prompted new center Ryan Kelly to ask coach Kevin O’Connell about the call he should make for blocking that play.

“Your guess is as good as mine,” O’Connell told Kelly, as he later recounted to reporters. “I’ve got no idea what they’re doing over there.”

Yes, that’s the Brian Flores effect on the Vikings offense, a recurring and welcomed feature of practice against one of the NFL ‘s most aggressively experimental defensive coordinators.

“It must’ve been pretty close to the end of the offseason program, because today he ran some stuff that I didn’t even know was in there,” O’Connell said. “That’s Flo. I challenge him all the time to do those things.”

The mad scientist behind the shape-shifting and fast-moving scheme is back for his third season with the Vikings, a pleasant surprise of sorts for a team that figured he’d have landed another head coach position by now. Flores interviewed for vacancies with the Chicago Bears, Jacksonville Jaguars and New York Jets in January, but he was passed over by all three clubs.

“Being able to sit in that interview setting and have a conversation for that role is obviously an honor, and those jobs went to guys who were certainly deserved,” Flores said. “It was a great experience, and I enjoyed it. I’m also very happy to be right where I am.”

Flores, who was fired by the Miami Dolphins after three seasons as their head coach from 2019-21, still has a racial discrimination lawsuit pending against the league in response to losing that job. But if there’s any bitterness Flores is harboring, he’s hiding it well. Since O’Connell hired him in 2023, he has embraced this experience with the Vikings and all that has come with it for him and his family.

The Vikings ranked fifth in the league in scoring defense last season after finishing 14th the year before. They were 28th in 2022 before he arrived. Successful spending in free agency helped enhance the depth chart, but Flores has also helped turn unheralded players such as safety Josh Metellus and linebacker Ivan Pace into key contributors.

Last season, the Vikings tied for the league lead with 33 takeaways, leading to a steady stream of on-field celebrations.

“My joy comes from watching them have excitement,” Flores said.

The frequent use of Metellus as an inside linebacker or an edge rusher was one way Flores has used unorthodox schemes to take advantage of his players’ quickness — of body and mind — and keep the opponent constantly guessing. On some third downs, in another example, he’d fill the line with stand-up pass rushers.

Spring practice is the time to tinker. Flores, in regular conversation with safety Harrison Smith, linebacker Blake Cashman or defensive tackle Harrison Phillips, is never afraid to try a new look. Why not see if it can work?

“He’s always trying to evolve. He’s always trying to be one step ahead,” edge rusher Andrew Van Ginkel said. “That’s one thing I love about him.”

NINE BIGGEST QUESTIONS HOVERING AROUND NFL’S FIRST WAVE OF MANDATORY MINICAMPS

(NFL.COM)

The NFL offseason is nearing its conclusion, as 27 teams have now wrapped up their mandatory minicamps. Once the final handful of teams take care of their veteran minicamps next week, the league will go quiet until training camps start in July. That doesn’t mean there won’t be anything to talk about, by the way. The offseason workouts may be ending but the questions looming in certain parts of the league will still linger.

The one thing we all know about this time of year is that we get a lot of talk without many answers. Yes, Aaron Rodgers finally signed with Pittsburgh, but we won’t know how he’ll impact the Steelers until real games begin. The same holds true for what wide receiver George Pickens will mean to Dallas or how the quarterback competition in Cleveland will play out. It’s been fun to talk about all these topics, but we’ll be talking about them just as much for the next few months.

With that in mind, this edition of The First Read will delve into other questions that should be on our minds as we move past this round of minicamps. There is no shortage of options for an exercise like this, but we limited our choices to the questions we found most intriguing. Here they are …

1) How will the Eagles replace so much defensive talent?

The major question about Philadelphia’s hopes for a second consecutive Super Bowl win revolve around a defense that lost some key pieces from last year’s championship team. The front seven lost defensive end Milton Williams and edge rushers Brandon Graham (retired) and Josh Sweat. The secondary parted ways with cornerback Darius Slay and safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson. So, how will the Eagles retool in the wake of all those departures? They’ll do what they always do, which is rely on the shrewd personnel moves of general manager Howie Roseman and smart coaches to make it all work.

Defensive coordinator Vic Fangio has a valuable chess piece in slot corner Cooper DeJean, who could move to outside corner or safety in base defense looks depending on how the other players at those spots develop. Fangio also has tremendous faith in the maturation of edge rusher Nolan Smith (who had four sacks in the last year’s postseason) and the potential of second-year edge rusher Jalyx Hunt (who had a sack in that Super Bowl win over Kansas City). The Eagles are also high on adding first-round pick Jihaad Campbell to a linebacker corps that includes All-Pro Zack Baun. Like Baun, Campbell has the versatility to line up in various spots of the defense and be impactful. In other words, there may be some new faces on defense in Philly. The expectations, however, shouldn’t change that much.

2) What veteran quarterback addition will have the biggest impact on his team aside from Aaron Rodgers?

There’s a long list here — including Sam Darnold (Seattle), Justin Fields (New York Jets), Russell Wilson (New York Giants) and Daniel Jones (Indianapolis) — but Geno Smith is the obvious choice. The Raiders traded a third-round pick to acquire him from Seattle, and he’s walking into a situation that is extremely familiar to him. Head coach Pete Carroll was leading the Seahawks back in 2022 when that team decided to deal Russell Wilson to Denver and elevate Smith from backup to starter after Smith spent several years operating as a journeyman backup. Smith has been a solid signal-caller in the three seasons since that point, as he’s averaged 4,075 passing yards and thrown 71 touchdown passes and 35 interceptions.

Smith now reunites with Carroll in Las Vegas, where it’s been years since that franchise had anything close to productive quarterback play. It’s no secret that Carroll is going to run the ball like crazy with rookie running back Ashton Jeanty operating as his bell cow back. What Smith needs to do is the things that the most recent Raiders quarterbacks couldn’t: make the big throws when they matter most, provide steady leadership and avoid the mistakes that plagued him last season, when he threw 15 interceptions. Look, nobody is sitting here predicting the Raiders to morph into a playoff team after winning four games in 2024. However, it is reasonable to expect three to five more victories with Smith providing better quarterback play.

3) Which contender can join Kansas City, Buffalo and Baltimore as an elite team in the AFC?

The Broncos make the most sense right now, with the Chargers not far behind them. The one thing that separates Denver from other teams in this category — along with Los Angeles, Houston and Cincinnati are the most sensible picks — is defense. The Broncos have one of the best units in the league and they remain flush with talent after leading the NFL in sacks and ranking third in points allowed last season. Denver has arguably the best edge-rushing duo in the league in Nik Bonitto and Jonathan Cooper. It has a disruptive interior presence in Zach Allen and the NFL’s best cornerback tandem in Defensive Player of the Year Patrick Surtain II and Riley Moss. If the new players added this offseason — linebacker Dre Greenlaw, safety Talanoa Hufanga and cornerback Jahdae Barron, the team’s first-round pick — live up to the hype, this will be the best defense in the league. The offense should also be better this season now that quarterback Bo Nix has a second year in head coach Sean Payton’s offense, and there are more weapons in the mix (including running backs R.J. Harvey and J.K. Dobbins and tight end Evan Engram). Yes, the Broncos are betting on a lot of dudes with long injury histories staying healthy. It’s also worth pondering where this team could go if that actually happens.

4) Will a youth movement make the Ravens defense the most dominant in the NFL again?

Baltimore has high hopes for its first two picks in this year’s draft, as safety Malaki Starks and edge rusher Mike Green have the potential to help this defense immediately. The Ravens started slowly on that side of the football last season, as coverage mishaps and explosive passing plays marred the first half of the year until personnel changes and adjustments turned that unit into one of the league’s best down the stretch. Defensive coordinator Zach Orr already loves the chemistry that has developed between Starks and veteran safety Kyle Hamilton in offseason workouts. Like Hamilton, Starks is versatile and has a nose for the football, so the expectation is that he’ll learn fast. Green was a first-round talent who slipped into the second round because of off-field concerns, and he might end up being one of the steals of the draft. He led the FBS in sacks in 2024, and his athleticism — he played wide receiver in high school and linebacker at Virginia before finishing at Marshall — could make him disruptive in Year 1. Orr admitted to local reporters that this defense learned a lot about itself by dealing with those growing pains in his first year on the job. The additions of Starks and Green should make that process much easier this fall.

5) Will the Bengals defense really improve after so much offseason drama?

It’s hard to see how Cincinnati becomes better on that side of the ball after the way the last few months have played out. The contract dispute with All-Pro edge rusher Trey Hendrickson has moved through multiple stages, from the team allowing him to seek a trade to his complaints about the franchise being unwilling to broker a deal and finally his absence from mandatory minicamp this week. This situation has literally turned uglier with each passing month. Add in the fact that Cincinnati lost one defensive leader to retirement (defensive end Sam Hubbard), released another (linebacker Germaine Pratt) and still doesn’t know when edge rusher Shemar Stewart, its first-round pick, will sign his rookie contract, and it doesn’t feel like this squad is about to change its fortunes with new defensive coordinator Al Golden taking over. What made Cincinnati’s defense so good when this team was a true championship contender was chemistry. The players who played for former defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo bought into his creative schemes, and they created problems for various teams, most notably Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs. The Bengals learned a tough lesson on defense when that unit declined after veteran safeties Jessie Bates and Vonn Bell left in free agency following the 2022 season (Bell returned to the team in 2024). Losing more leaders from a much worse defense won’t make things any easier around those parts.

6) Does Kirk Cousins end up being a backup in Atlanta this season?

Unless we’re missing something here, this is the only option for Cousins at this stage. There could’ve been some smoke around Pittsburgh if Rodgers had decided to retire, but that didn’t happen. Every other team that needed a veteran quarterback earlier this offseason found one, leaving Cousins with no other choice than to make it work in Atlanta a little while longer. He did show up for the team’s mandatory minicamp, which is a good start if you’re going to be stuck in a place you don’t want to be for the foreseeable future. There’s also the real possibility of Cousins being traded later in the year if another team suffers through injury problems at quarterback. He reportedly has said that he wants to be dealt to a team where a starting job is available. In that case, it’s time for him to wait patiently for a vacancy to appear. Cousins made $100 million in guaranteed money when he signed with Atlanta last season. The best he can do for now -– and he said as much this week — is be a reliable backup to Micheal Penix Jr.

7) Can the 49ers enjoy a bounce-back season after enduring so many problems in 2024?

There are a lot of questions for the 49ers to answer after finishing 6-11 last season, but it’s not like they don’t have talent. The real issue is whether they can stay healthy and if the return of defensive coordinator Robert Saleh can energize a defense that finished 29th in points allowed. That unit could look a lot better if rookie edge rusher Mykel Williams can be the perfect complement to All-Pro Nick Bosa. It’s been years since the 49ers could line up with two bookends capable of hounding opposing passers. That defense also needs to improve because the 49ers will be going through their own transition on offense. Wide receiver Deebo Samuel is gone and fellow wideout Brandon Aiyuk is returning from a torn ACL. That puts a heavier burden on quarterback Brock Purdy to utilize players like Jauan Jennings and Ricky Pearsall in the passing game. Of course, it also will help if running back Christian McCaffery can play in more than four games, as he did last season. It’s clear that plenty of things have to go right for the 49ers to be playoff contenders again. It’s also true that several core players still remain from a team that played in four conference championship games and two Super Bowls in the last six years. They’ll be better than most think.

8) Does the presence of Davante Adams make the Rams offense elite again?

Adams has posted five straight 1,000-yard seasons. It wouldn’t be smart to bet against him extending that streak even though he turns 33 years old in December. The Rams signed Adams because they understood one of the major factors in their mediocre offense was their inability to keep talented receivers on the field. Both Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua missed time last season and neither player hit the 1,000-yard mark. As a result, the Rams fielded an offense that ranked 20th in scoring and 15th in yards. Adams proved last year that he still has enough juice to be a difference-maker, as he totaled 67 receptions, 854 yards and seven touchdowns in 11 games with the Jets following a midseason trade from Las Vegas. He also did all that while playing for a team that fired its head coach and offensive coordinator. Now imagine what Adams can do with one of the game’s brightest offensive minds (head coach Sean McVay), a gifted quarterback still playing at a high level (Matthew Stafford) and Nacua and other weapons around him. Adams already has raved about McVay, the team chemistry and the positive vibes around the Rams facility. In fact, the more he talks, the harder it is to imagine the Rams not being one of the most dangerous offenses in the league again.

9) What’s going to happen with Jalen Ramsey?

It’s been nearly two months since Ramsey and the Dolphins mutually agreed to explore trade options for the star cornerback. The fact that nothing happened during the draft means Ramsey’s market is a lot harder to determine today. The main issue here is that he’s obviously expensive, as he signed a three-year, $72.3 million extension last September. That’s a steep price to pay -– even for a player as talented and accomplished as Ramsey -– and it doesn’t help his cause that Green Bay just released cornerback Jaire Alexander. The Packers didn’t want to keep Alexander around because of his injury history, but a team looking for a veteran cornerback might find him to be a more attractive investment. The same holds true for free agent cornerbacks like Asante Samuel Jr., Stephon Gilmore and Rasul Douglas, all of whom have been available since March. It’s fair to assume somebody is going to make a deal for Ramsey because there are teams that have the cap space to accommodate him. It’s just that most of those teams aren’t contenders — the Rams are the only franchise to express public interest -– and this situation is far more complicated than it looked back in April.

NFL NEWS ROUNDUP: RAMS SIGNING VETERAN OT D.J. HUMPHRIES AS ALARIC JACKSON DEALS WITH BLOOD CLOTS

INJURIES

OT Alaric Jackson is dealing with blood clots, NFL Network Insiders Ian Rapoport, Mike Garafolo and Tom Pelissero reported. While the belief is Jackson will play in the 2025 season, there are still some questions as to his availability. Jackson, who just signed a three-year, $57 million extension in February, has started 35 of 41 regular-season games played for Los Angeles since he arrived as an undrafted free agent in 2021. The 26-year-old offensive lineman dealt with blood clots in 2022, when he was ruled out midseason after eight games played.

SIGNINGS

OT D.J. Humphries signed a one-year deal with Los Angeles, the team announced. Humphries, 31, had reportedly agreed to terms with San Francisco in April but never officially signed. The veteran offensive lineman is entering his 10th season in the NFL. After eight years in Arizona — including one Pro Bowl season — Humphries spent the 2024 season in Kansas City, starting just two regular-season games.

BARRY SANDERS REVEALS HE SUFFERED A HEART ATTACK LAST YEAR

Barry Sanders is imploring folks to undergo a complete medical checkup, nearly one year after the Hall of Fame running back suffered what he initially labeled as a heart-related health scare.

During an exclusive interview with CBS Sports, Sanders disclosed that the “health scare” indeed was a heart attack.

“Of all things, I don’t know why, that just never entered my mind,” Sanders said of his heart attack. “I’m learning through this process that there aren’t necessarily any warning signs, unless you do what we’re encouraging people to do, which is to go the doctor, get tested for LDLC levels, or bad cholesterol. That’s the only way to find out if you have high cholesterol. It’s not something you’re going to be able to feel. You don’t have to fit a certain physical profile.”

Sanders, 56, shared his experience in “The Making of a Heart Attack,” which will air on Saturday at 1 p.m. ET on A&E.

He said he woke up with a burning sensation in his chest while attending a recruiting visit for his son.

“I couldn’t believe it, honestly. I thought it was like heartburn, but it just kind of persisted,” Sanders said.

He said he drove himself to the emergency room later that afternoon, with tests revealing that his enzyme levels were “really high and getting higher.”

Sanders was a first-ballot selection to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2004.

The Lions made Sanders, a Heisman Trophy winner at Oklahoma State, the third overall pick of the 1989 NFL Draft. He spent his entire 10-year career with Detroit (1989-98), running for 15,269 yards — now the fourth-most rushing yards in NFL history — and 99 touchdowns while catching 352 passes for 2,921 yards and 10 TDs.

Sanders rushed for 2,053 yards in 1997 when he shared Most Valuable Player honors with Green Bay quarterback Brett Favre. Sanders was selected to 10 Pro Bowls in 10 seasons, named first-team All-Pro six times, voted the Offensive Rookie of the Year in 1989 and selected to the NFL 100 All-Time Team.

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COLLEGE FOOTBALL NEWS

REPORT: MICHIGAN HOSTS ECU TRANSFER QB JAKE GARCIA

Michigan hosted former East Carolina quarterback Jake Garcia this week, CBS Sports reported on Friday.

Garcia entered the transfer portal this spring and is looking for a fourth program to play his fifth and final season.

He passed for 1,426 yards with eight touchdowns and 12 interceptions in six games in his lone season with the Pirates in 2024.

Garcia began his career at Miami, passing for 950 yards with seven TDs and four picks in nine games from 2021-22.

The 6-foot-3, 203-pound Garcia transferred to Missouri but did not see any action there during the 2023 season.

The QB competition at Michigan includes five-star freshman Bryce Underwood, Fresno State transfer Mikey Keene and redshirt freshman Jadyn Davis.

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NASCAR NEWS

NASCAR’S FIRST CUP SERIES RACE OUTSIDE US HITS TRAVEL SNAGS TO MEXICO CITY

MEXICO CITY (AP) — NASCAR’s first Cup Series race outside the United States was off to a bumpy start Friday with several teams yet to arrive in Mexico City because of travel issues in North Carolina.

At least one chartered flight to Mexico City was grounded Thursday with an engine issue, leaving teams scrambling to find alternative routes to get to Mexico. Some drove to Atlanta to catch a commercial flight.

But when the track opened Friday, many were not at Autodromo Hermanos Rodríguez. Trackhouse Racing was among them — Daniel Suarez arrived Tuesday with some support personnel so he was not affected — but the communications director for the Cup team had been summoned to help unload the Trackhouse cars off the truck because no crew members were available.

The trucks came directly from last Sunday’s race in Michigan and arrived at the Mexico City track on Thursday.

NASCAR said only “a select few” teams aren’t on site Friday morning. But, it seems most are Xfinity Series teams based on a revamping of the weekend schedule.

“Due to two aircraft issues that grounded multiple race teams in Charlotte, N.C., on Thursday, NASCAR has adjusted the on-track schedule for this weekend’s activities at Mexico City’s Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez,” NASCAR said in a statement.

NASCAR delayed Friday’s originally planned Cup Series practice to later in the afternoon. NASCAR also pushed all Xfinity Series practice sessions from Friday to Saturday. And, the first of two NASCAR Mexico Series races will run earlier than originally scheduled on Friday.

The Xfinity Series will lose some practice time, with just one 50-minute session on Saturday morning, right before qualifying. There are other slight adjustments as well, but Cup teams will not lose any practice.

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INDYCAR NEWS

PENSKE DRIVER SCOTT MCLAUGHLIN’S TOUGH MONTH ENDS WITH HOPE FOR A FRESH START AT GATEWAY

Scott McLaughlin’s miserable month of May — he crashed twice at the Indianapolis 500, caused a crash at Detroit and engaged in a post-race social media feud with Tony Kanaan — has finally ended.

Now it’s on to Gateway outside of St. Louis and a fresh start for the Team Penske driver as IndyCar prepares for only its second race on an oval this season and first event televised in prime-time by Fox.

“That whole month was pretty tough. It started really well. It ended in a couple bad ways,” McLaughlin acknowledged. “It was one of, if not the lowest, points of my career. But it’s something that I’ll learn from. Champions are made learning from their mistakes.”

McLaughlin crashed in practice at Indianapolis Motor Speedway and it prevented him from taking a car that many believed was a threat to win the pole out to qualify. Hours later, teammates Josef Newgarden and Will Power were found to have illegal modifications on their cars and were disqualified from qualifying.

The ensuing days were chaotic as team owner Roger Penske, who also owns IndyCar, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and the Indy 500, handled the situation internally by firing his top three IndyCar executives. The housecleaning included Tim Cindric, who had spent 25 years with Penske and was the architect of much of the organizations’ success.

Newgarden and Power were penalized and dropped to the back of the field for the start of the 500, while McLaughlin got to keep his 10th-place starting position. But come race day, armed with new crew members, McLaughlin was determined to earn his first Indy 500 victory.

Instead, he crashed on the warm-up lap and immediately burst into tears.

The New Zealander hoped to rebound one week later on the streets of Detroit, but contact with Arrow McLaren driver Nolan Siegel caused Siegel to crash. McLaughlin finished 12th, lowest of the Penske trio at Detroit.

He later engaged in a tense social media back-and-forth with McLaren team principal Kanaan, and it ramped up when Kanaan took aim at both McLaughlin’s crash at Indy on the warm-up lap and the Penske firings in comments that seemed over-the-line.

“Misjudged last week, misjudged this week, at least you get a weekend off to square that away,” Kanaan wrote. “I came looking for your team principal to have a chat but I couldn’t find him. Oh wait……”

IndyCar was off last week and McLaughlin said he and Kanaan have spoken, but he declined to discuss the details. He later insisted all is well between the two rivals even though it wasn’t the first time the two have argued on social media. It’s been a recurring theme dating to last season when McLaughlin criticized McLaren’s revolving door of drivers.

“Me and T.K. are completely fine. We cleared the air. There was nothing to really clear,” McLaughlin said. “It’s like he clapped back, and I clapped back. It’s just how it is. I thought it was funny that he posted during the race. I, like, responded. I didn’t think he was going to respond the next time, but he did.

“Me and T.K. have always sort of talked on the social media. It’s not like a year-long feud. It’s just one of those deals where someone’s going to call me out, I’ll clap back as well. It’s just who I am. I’m not going to change.”

Did he take Kanaan’s words personally, considering Team Penske had a major overhaul of team personnel at Indianapolis?

“It is what it is. That was his decision,” McLaughlin said.

The upheaval at Penske is ongoing as IndyCar readies for Sunday night’s race at Gateway. Penske has had to shift personnel across three teams to cover the vacancies and the three-car lineup will have new engineers and strategists again this weekend.

It makes it difficult to win — all three Penske drivers have yet to make it to victory lane this season — against Alex Palou of Chip Ganassi Racing. Palou has won five of seven races this season, including the Indianapolis 500. Kyle Kirkwood of Andretti Global has won the other two.

McLaughlin hasn’t given up and believes Palou’s run will eventually come to an end. He has two wins on ovals — Iowa and Milwaukee — and a pair of podium finishes at Gateway. McLaughlin finished second there last year.

“I definitely don’t think anyone’s unstoppable. I think when they’re going through a purple patch, they’re executing like they are, it’s tough,” he said of Palou. “You have to figure out where you can be better and stronger and adapt to that. I enjoy that challenge. He’s on a great run. There’s no stopping us from learning where we can improve and where we can be better.

“We have some great tracks coming up for us. Just got to keep our heads down, keep focused and learn as much as we can.”

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TOP INDIANA NEWS HEADLINES/RELEASES

INDIANA PACERS

SHAI GILGEOUS-ALEXANDER, THUNDER LEVEL FINALS WITH LATE RALLY

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 35 points, helping the Oklahoma City Thunder come back from a late deficit to beat the Indiana Pacers 111-104 in Game 4 and even the NBA Finals on Friday in Indianapolis.

The best-of-seven series is tied 2-2 heading into Game 5 on Monday in Oklahoma City.

The Thunder trailed by seven entering in the fourth quarter but outscored Indiana 31-17 in the last period to escape with the victory.

Oklahoma City closed with a 12-1 run over the last three minutes.

Thunder coach Mark Daigneault changed up his rotation a bit, giving Gilgeous-Alexander breaks earlier in each half, and it seemingly paid off in the fourth.

Typically Gilgeous-Alexander sits early in the second and fourth quarters, but Friday, he sat late in the third and played virtually all of the fourth quarter.

With just less than four minutes remaining, the Pacers led 101-97 before Gilgeous-Alexander took over.

The NBA Most Valuable Player scored 13 points the rest of the way, making both of his field-goal attempts and all eight of his free-throw attempts to lift his team to victory.

Gilgeous-Alexander finished 12 of 24 from the field, 10 of 10 at the free-throw line with three steals, a block and just two turnovers. He had no assists.

With 2:21 left, Gilgeous-Alexander drove wide to the basket, pulling up from 14 feet out and hitting a step-back jumper over Aaron Nesmith to put the Thunder ahead for the first time in the second half, 104-103.

Jalen Williams also had a big game for the Thunder, finishing with 27 points and seven rebounds. He was 11-for-11 at the free-throw line. Alex Caruso added 20 points and five steals off the bench in the win.

Oklahoma City was 34 of 38 (89.5 percent) at the line but was just 3 of 17 (17.6 percent) on 3-point tries.

The Thunder hadn’t hit fewer than seven 3-pointers in any game during the 2024-25 regular season or postseason.

Pascal Siakam led the Pacers with 20 points, starting hot with 10 points and four steals in the first quarter. He finished 6 of 15 from the field with five steals and eight rebounds.

Tyrese Haliburton added 18 points and seven assists while Obi Toppin had 17 points off the Indiana bench.

The Pacers made a push late in the third, with a 24-14 run to take a 10-point lead — their largest of the night.

Toppin hit back-to-back 3-pointers during that stretch.

–Field Level Media

INSIDE THE FINISH: HOW GAME 4 GOT AWAY FROM THE PACERS

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Up by 10, late in the third quarter. Up by seven, going into the fourth. The Indiana Pacers had a golden opportunity.

And then, thud.

A chance at a 3-1 lead in the NBA Finals slipped right out of Indiana’s hands on Friday night, when the Oklahoma City Thunder — led by a huge finish from MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander — outscored the Pacers 31-17 in the fourth quarter to pull off a 111-104 win in Game 4.

Just like that, series tied, 2-2.

“It’s frustrating, of course,” Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton said. “You want to win that game … but that’s not how the cookie crumbled.”

A look at how the rally — or collapse, depending on perspective — happened:

Pacers 89, Thunder 82, 10:56 left

Obi Toppin — who had just had a big dunk about three minutes earlier to give Indiana its first 10-point lead of the series — had another slam, this one stopping a mini-burst by the Thunder and restoring a seven-point lead for the Pacers.

Indiana went ice cold from there, missing 12 of its final 16 shots from the field.

Pacers bending, not breaking

The Thunder tied the game at 89, then at 91, then at 95, then at 97. And each time, the Pacers had an answer.

Haliburton had a super-high-arching layup for a 91-89 lead with 7:50 left. Andrew Nembhard hit a jumper for a 93-91 lead with 6:59 to play. Haliburton scored again for a 97-95 lead with 5:03 left, and he had a pair of free throws with 4:19 remaining to break yet another tie.

“We had some deflating plays. It was an easy game to give up on,” Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said.

His team — and the league’s MVP — did the opposite.

SGA takes over

The Indiana lead was up to four with 3:20 left, 103-99.

Enter the MVP.

Gilgeous-Alexander had eight points in the next three minutes; the Pacers didn’t have any. He single-handedly decided the outcome.

“Fouls were an issue,” Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said. “Look, he’s a great player. That’s the other issue. He’s the MVP … But hey, you’re up seven at home. You have to dig in and find a way, and we were unable to do it tonight.”

Now what?

Indiana knows it has to win at least one more game at Oklahoma City now to become NBA champions. The Pacers won Game 1 there; they know it is possible.

“I’m excited about the challenge,” Haliburton said.

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INDIANA FEVER

FEVER SAY CAITLIN CLARK WILL BE READY TO PLAY IN SHOWDOWN WITH LIBERTY ON SATURDAY

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Caitlin Clark ended practice Friday by making a halfcourt shot and winning a little bit of lunch money in the process.

And with that, the Indiana Fever star is ready to play again.

Clark — barring any unforeseen setbacks — is expected to be in the lineup when the Fever play host to the reigning WNBA champion New York Liberty on Saturday afternoon. She missed the last five Indiana games with a quadriceps injury.

“As long as we don’t have any regressions, she’s going to be ready to roll,” Fever coach Stephanie White said.

Clark returned to practice this week, and her comeback game just happens to be a nationally televised one against the Liberty — the defending champs and, at 9-0, the last unbeaten team left in the league this season. New York is winning its games by an average of 19 points.

“I’m really excited,” Clark said. “I think it’s definitely been a process. I think the hardest part is when you like begin to feel really good and then it’s just a process of working yourself back into actually getting up and down and getting out there with my teammates.”

The halfcourt shot at the end of practice was the kicker of a friendly competition, and Clark (who says she rarely wins the halfcourt contests) did wave a few dollars that she won around afterward — in case anyone needed a reminder of her shooting range.

The Fever (4-5) went 2-3 in Clark’s absence. She was averaging 19 points, 9.3 assists, six rebounds and 1.3 steals per game when she got hurt. There’s still a long way to go this season, but no player in WNBA history has ever finished a season averaging that many points, assists, rebounds and steals per game.

Clark freely acknowledges that she’s not a patient person, but she understood the process and why it was important to not skip any steps in her recovery. Among the treatments: “anything under the sun,” she said, including everything from massage to weights to hyperbaric therapy.

“It was certainly a learning opportunity, and I think it’s going to benefit me a lot throughout my career, just falling back and understanding certain moments like this,” Clark said. “But I’m super, super excited. I’m antsy to get out there and probably shake off a little bit of rust and then play.”

Clark’s return is the latest bit of big basketball news in Indianapolis, along with the Indiana Pacers going into Friday’s Game 4 of the NBA Finals leading the Oklahoma City Thunder 2-1. Clark and many other Fever players were at Game 3 on Wednesday night at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, the same court where they’ll be taking on the Liberty on Saturday.

Even though Clark and the Fever have an early game Saturday, some — Clark included — plan on at least seeing some of Game 4 on Friday night.

“It’s incredible. It’s incredible,” White said when asked about the energy around basketball in Indianapolis right now. “As someone who grew up in the state of Indiana and as the saying goes, ‘This is Indiana.’ And so, the energy’s incredible. It’s such a fun time to be in the city.”

The Fever are also expected to have guard Sophie Cunningham (ankle) back for the game against the Liberty on Saturday. Cunningham has averaged 6.5 points in four games so far this season.

“It’s really reintegrating two of our top six players, right? Reintegrating them back into the system,” White said. “Some of the things that we run will look different than without Caitlin on the floor, certainly. Sophie’s versatility and being able to play in multiple positions … it is like starting Day 1 again.”

GAME PREVIEW: FEVER WELCOME LIBERTY BACK TO INDIANA ON SATURDAY

(FEVER RELEASE)

Indiana Fever vs New York Liberty
Saturday, June 14
Gainbridge Fieldhouse | 3:00 p.m. ET
Find Tickets »

Broadcast Information
ABC

Probable Starters

Indiana Fever (4-5)

Guard – Caitlin Clark
Guard – Kelsey Mitchell
Forward – Lexie Hull
Forward – Natasha Howard
Center – Aliyah Boston

New York Liberty (9-0)

Guard – Sabrina Ionescu
Guard – Natasha Cloud
Forward – Leonie Fiebich
Forward – Breanna Stewart
Center – Nyara Sabally

GAME PREVIEW:

The Indiana Fever (4-5) welcome the New York Liberty (9-0) to Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Saturday afternoon for a nationally televised game with major ramifications on the WNBA Commissioner’s Cup.

Fever head coach Stephanie White that she expects All-Star guard Caitlin Clark and sharpshooting wing Sophie Cunningham both to be available to play Saturday barring a setback after both players practiced on Friday. Clark has missed the last five games with a quad strain, last playing when the Fever previously hosted the Liberty on May 26. Cunningham has been sidelined for the past four contests with an ankle injury. She also missed the first two games of the season with an ankle injury.

The 2024 WNBA Rookie of the Year, Clark averaged 19 points, 6 rebounds, and a league-leading 9.3 assists over her first four games prior to being injured. Cunningham has averaged 6.5 points and 3.3 rebounds per game in four games for Indiana so far this year.

The Fever will need the reinforcements against the loaded Liberty, both the reigning WNBA champions and the league’s last remaining undefeated team. New York has won by an average margin of 19 points this season, with only three games decided by double digits. The Liberty’s closest game thus far was a 90-88 win over Indiana on May 26.

The Fever led by 12 points in the fourth quarter of that contest, but New York rallied and won on two free throws by Sabrina Ionescu with 2.2 seconds remaining.

The Liberty are 3-0 so far in the WNBA Commissioner’s Cup, with the Fever right behind them in the standings at 2-1. Indiana hosts Connecticut on Tuesday and New York hosts Atlanta in the final Commissioner’s Cup games for each team. The team with the best record in the Eastern Conference in Commissioner’s Cup play will advance to play the West’s top team in the championship game on July 1.

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COLTS FOOTBALL

COLTS INDUCTING LATE JIM IRSAY IN RING OF HONOR IN WEEK 1

The Indianapolis Colts will induct late owner and CEO Jim Irsay into their Ring of Honor during the Sept. 7 season opener against the Miami Dolphins at Lucas Oil Stadium.

The team made the announcement on Friday, which would have been the longtime executive’s 66th birthday. Irsay passed away on May 21.

Irsay will become the 20th member of the Colts Ring of Honor, a prestigious list that includes Peyton Manning, Reggie Wayne, Dwight Freeney and former coach Tony Dungy.

Earlier this month, team ownership was passed down to Irsay’s three daughters: Carlie Irsay-Gordon, Casey Foyt and Kalen Jackson.

“There was no bigger advocate for the Colts, the NFL, the city of Indianapolis and the state of Indiana than our dad, Jim Irsay,” Irsay’s daughters said in a statement. “It’s only fitting that he now joins the other amazing Colts legends in our Ring of Honor who contributed so much to our franchise and our community over the past four decades.”

Under Jim Irsay’s involvement with the franchise from 1984-2024, the Colts went 316-294-1 in the regular season and 13-16 in the playoffs with a victory in Super Bowl XLI.

REPORT: ANTHONY RICHARDSON SHOULD BE HEALTHY FOR COLTS TRAINING CAMp

Despite a recent injury scare surrounding his right (throwing) shoulder, quarterback Anthony Richardson is expected to be healthy for Indianapolis Colts training camp, NFL Network reported Friday.

The third-year signal-caller aggravated the AC joint in his right shoulder and was held out of team minicamp this week. That shoulder is the same one he had AC joint surgery on in 2023.

A second opinion on this latest setback confirmed that surgery wouldn’t be necessary. Moreover, the timetable for his return looks more optimistic than previously suggested.

In an interview a week ago, head coach Shane Steichen said Richardson would return “at some point” in training camp.

“Doctors, trainers checked it out,” Steichen said. “He’s got some aggravation in his AC joint … We’ll see when he comes back. Not gonna put a timetable for training camp on it, but when he does come back, we’ll ease him into throwing, and then we’ll go from there. The good thing is he’s not gonna need a procedure right now.”

Richardson, the fourth overall pick of the 2023 NFL Draft, is expected to battle former New York Giants starter Daniel Jones for the Colts’ starting quarterback job this season.

“Obviously, it’s frustrating, but he is in good spirits,” Steichen said. “So, we’re working through it right now.”

Richardson, 23, enters his third season with 15 starts under his belt (8-7 record), a 50.6 completion percentage, 11 touchdown passes, 10 rushing touchdowns, 13 interceptions and 12 fumbles (four lost).

He completed 47.7 percent of his passes in 2024, historically bad from an accuracy perspective and easily the worst among NFL starters. He had 10 or fewer completions in six of the 11 games he appeared in last season.

Jones, 28, has appeared in 70 games (69 starts) over six seasons in New York. He is a career 64.1 percent passer with 70 touchdowns and 47 interceptions. He also has 15 touchdowns rushing and has suffered 50 career fumbles.

–Field Level Media

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INDIANAPOLIS INDIANS

INDIANS OUTLAST SAINTS WITH 11TH INNING WALK-OFF

INDIANAPOLIS – Two shutout innings in extras from reliever Cam Sanders and a walk-off single through the infield by Alika Williams lifted the Indianapolis Indians to a 7-6 win over the St. Paul Saints in 11 innings at Victory Field on Friday night.

The back-and-forth contest was closed out with five quiet innings, culminating in the Indians (38-28) breaking through with one run in the bottom of the 11th. With Nick Solak representing the game-winning run on third base, Billy Cook on first, one out and the infield playing in, Williams grounded a single past the diving shortstop to finalize the affair against Anthony Misiewicz (L, 1-1).

Extra innings were highlighted by the reliever Sanders (W, 1-0), who silenced the Saints (31-34) in the 10th and 11th frames. In the former, he stranded runners at the corners with no outs on a ground ball fielder’s choice and consecutive strikeouts.

The Indians got on the board with three runs in the first inning, and a high-scoring battle continued through the first four frames. St. Paul knotted the game on a three-run homer by Mickey Gasper in the third before taking the first of four lead changes in the top of the fourth.

Indy retook the lead in the bottom of the fifth before the advantage swapped again in the following half inning. An RBI single by Shawn Ross in the bottom of the sixth tied the game at 6-6 as the game’s penultimate run scored.

Ronny Simon and Williams each logged three hits apiece in the contest, with Ross’ pair of RBI leading the ballclub.

The Indians and Saints continue their seven-game series on Saturday night at 7:05 PM ET. RHP Thomas Harrington (3-6, 5.76) will take the mound for the home team against RHP Darren McCaughan (4-1, 4.06).

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INDY ELEVEN

#INDVPIT PREVIEW

• Indy Eleven vs. Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC
  Sat., June 14, 2025 – 7:00 p.m.
• Carroll Stadium – Indianapolis
• Follow Live
• Watch:  WISH-TV
• Stream: CBS Sports Golazo Network
• In-game updates: IndyEleven
  Stats: #INDvPIT MatchCenter at USLChampionship.com

2025 USL Championship Records
Indy Eleven: 2-3-5 (-2), 11 pts; #9 in Eastern Conference
Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC: 4-5-2 (-1), 14 pts; 6th in Eastern Conference

Setting the Scene

Indy Eleven hosts Eastern Conference rival Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC on Saturday at 7 pm

IND		PIT
10	Games	11
18	Goals	9
43	SOT	31
11	Assists	5
20	Goals Conceded	10
46	Shots Faced	36
1	Clean Sheets	5

Series

Saturday marks the 16th meeting between the two teams, with Indy trailing 5-6-4. The Boys in Blue are unbeaten in the last four contests (2-0-2).

Twelve of the 15 all-time meetings have been decided by one goal or less since the teams first met in 2018.

Pittsburgh Leads 6-5-4 | GF 15, GA 18

• Last Four Meetings
  August 31, 2024 | D, 1-1 | Home
• June 1, 2024 | W, 2-1 | Away
• July 26, 2023 | W, 3-1 | Away
• April 19, 2023 | D, 1-1 | Home

On Aug. 31 at Carroll Stadium, forward Romario Williams recorded his first goal for the Boys in Blue in dramatic fashion in the final minute of second-half stoppage time to give the hosts a 1-1 draw against Pittsburgh.

The Eleven earned a free kick outside the area with Williams and Aodhan Quinn lined up on each side of the ball.  Romario took a quick two-step run-up and delivered a laser into the top right corner of the goal to give his team a key point in the Eastern Conference playoff race.

The 2-1 victory at Pittsburgh on June 1 was the 10th match in Indy Eleven’s 12-match unbeaten streak from April 17 to June 15.

In that game, defender Josh O’Brien recorded his first goal for the Boys in Blue in the 23rd minute off an assist from defender Aedan Stanley.  Forward Sebastian Guenzatti doubled the lead in the 46th minute on an assist from Augi Williams.

Pittsburgh got one back from Danny Griffin in the 57th minute, but the visiting Eleven earned three points.  Goalie Hunter Sulte made five saves in the match.

Sulte, Williams “Team of the Week”

Goalkeeper Hunter Sulte and forward Romario Williams have been selected to the USL Championship Team of the Week for weeks 13/14.  The Boys in Blue now have had eight different players named to the Team of the Week already in 2025.
In a 1-0 road win at Birmingham Legion FC last Wednesday, the 23-year-old Sulte made a season-high six saves (one shy of his career high of seven vs. Tampa Bay Rowdies on 7/20/24) to record his 10th clean sheet as a member of the Boys in Blue. 

The 6’7 Sulte made an outstanding save, diving to his right on a shot by Tabort Etaka Preston in the final minute of second half stoppage time to preserve the victory.  In the 17th minute, the Anchorage, Alaska, native dove to his left to save a shot from former Indy Eleven forward Tyler Pasher. In the 86th, Sulte punched a dangerous cross from Erik Centeno out of harm’s way.

The “Team of the Week” honor is Sulte’s third in his two years with the Boys in Blue, having earned that recognition on June 15 and October 15 last season following back-to-back clean sheets both of those weeks.  He made the USLC “Save of the Week” four times in 2024.

On May 28, Williams became the first Indy Eleven substitute to record multiple goals in a regular-season contest since the club joined the USLC in 2018 with two goals vs. Hartford Athletic. Williams recorded his first brace as a member of the Boys in Blue and the eighth in his USLC career, scoring both goals in stoppage time, including the game-tying tally in the 94th minute.

Acquired by Indy Eleven on June 14, 2024, Williams is among the Championship’s most prolific scorers all-time, having recorded 62 regular-season goals in 153 appearances at a strike rate of a goal every 160.7 minutes. He is 17th in USLC history in goals scored.

The 30-year-old Williams earned his third call-up in eight months by the Jamaica Football Federation for 2026 World Cup qualifiers.  On Saturday, he recorded three shots, including a long-range effort that struck the post, in 34 minutes in his team’s 1-0 victory at the British Virgin Islands.

The Reggae Boyz beat Guatemala 3-0 on Tuesday to win Group E and advance to the final round of World Cup qualifying, with that draw on Thursday. Final round matches will be played Sept. 1-9, Oct. 6-14, and Nov. 10-18.

Following those two World Cup qualifiers, the Portmore, Jamaica, native will represent his country in the Concacaf Gold Cup. Group Stage play in Group C starts on June 16 vs. Guatemala at 10 pm in Carson, Calif., followed by June 20 at 7:45 pm against Guadeloupe in San Jose, then on June 24 vs. Panama at 7 pm in Austin. All three of those matches will be televised on FS1.

Last Match

Midfielder Cam Lindley scored on a laser from 25 yards out in the fourth minute and the Boys in Blue defense recorded a clean sheet for a 1-0 road victory at USL Championship Eastern Conference rival Birmingham Legion FC last Wednesday, June 4.

Midfielder James Murphy started the scoring sequence with a feed into captain Aodhan Quinn in the midfield.  Quinn sent it wide to defender Finn McRobb who delivered a cross into the area that deflected off midfielder Jack Black outside the area where Lindley fired it into the bottom left corner just inside the post.  Lindley’s goal is his first this season and the fifth of his USLC career.  Blake’s assist is his second in 2025 and the 23rd in the USL Championship. 

Indy Eleven has scored 10 first-half goals in 10 USLC matches this season, ranking third among 24 teams in that category.  The Boys in Blue have scored three of those in the first 15 minutes, also good for third in the league.  Indy Eleven have scored in their last 11 games in the USL Championship, their longest run of games with a goal in the competition since a run of 15 matches from March 10-June 16, 2024.

Indy Eleven is 2-1-2 on the road in USLC play this season.  The Boys in Blue are unbeaten (4-0-2) in their last six matches when leading at halftime dating back to August 11, 2024.

• USLC 50+ Regular Season Goals Best Strike Rate
• 7. Romario Williams – 62 goals, 153 app., 160.7 mins/goal
• USL Championship Assists in Consecutive Games Streaks
• 2.         Aodhan Quinn (PHX)     5          2021
• 4.         Aodhan Quinn (OC)       4          2018
•             Aodhan Quinn (IND)    4          May 3-28, 2025
• USL Championship Regular Season 55 Goals & 30 Assists
• 1.         Enzo Martinez (BHM) – 76 goals, 51 assists
• 2.         Aodhan Quinn (IND) – 56 goals, 54 assists
• USL Championship Regular Season Goal Contributions
• 3.         Solomon Asante            110       (52 goals, 58 assists)
•             Aodhan Quinn (IND)    110       (56 goals & 54 assists)*
• Aodhan Quinn USLC All-Time Rankings
• Appearances | 272 | 5th
• Assists | 54 | 4th
• Games Started | 258 | 1st
• Minutes | 22,636 | 2nd

USL Career Regular Season Rankings

Individual Rankings (Active Players)

• Goals
• 17.       Romario Williams (IND) – 62
• 23.       Aodhan Quinn (IND) – 56
• Assists
• 3.         Danny Barrera – 55
• 4.         Aodhan Quinn (IND) – 54
• Appearances
• 2.         Sean Totsch (LOU) – 282
• 5.         Aodhan Quinn (IND) – 272
• Games Started
• 1.         Sean Totsch (LOU) – 270
• 2.         Aodhan Quinn (IND) – 258
• Minutes
• 1.         Sean Totsch (LOU) – 22,799
• 2.         Aodhan Quinn (IND) – 22,636
• Indy Eleven Goals in a 5-Game Stretch
• Elvis Amoh      7          Apr. 19-May 10, 2025
• Tyler Pasher     6          Nov. 2, 2019-July 22, 2020
• Manuel Arteaga 5          June 4-18, 2022
• Blake Smith      5          May 28-June 17, 2014
• Augi Williams    5          May 8-22, 2024
• Eamon Zayed   5          May 21-June 11, 2016
• Eamon Zayed   5          July 13-Aug. 3, 2016
• Indy Eleven Goals in Consecutive Games Streaks
• Tyler Pasher     6          Nov. 2, 2019-July 22, 2020
• Elvis Amoh      5          Apr. 19-May 10, 2025
• Augi Williams    4          May 8-22, 2024
• Sebastian Guenzatti 3         Aug. 26-Sept. 15, 2023
• Stefano Pinho   3          May 28-June 8, 2022
• Dane Kelly        3          Apr. 15-28, 2019
• Kleberson         3          July 19-Aug. 2, 2014
• Tyler Pasher     3          June 1-15, 2019
• Dane Richards  3          Aug. 19-29, 2015
• Team Leaders
• Stat                              Player                           Number
• Goals                           Elvis Amoh                   4
• Assists                          Aodhan Quinn               4
• Shots                            Jack Blake                    19
• Shots on Target             Jack Blake                    8
• Chances Created          Murphy, Quinn              12
• Crosses                        Aedan Stanley               27
• Fouls Won                    Jack Blake                    19
• Duels Won                    Elvis Amoh                   44
• Aerial Duels Won          Pat Hogan                    26
• Clearances                   Pat Hogan                    80
• Blocks                          Pat Hogan                    6
• Interceptions                 James Musa                 14
• Tackles Won                 James Murphy              14
• Passes                         James Murphy              445
• Minutes                         Murphy, Musa   900

USL CHAMPIONSHIP STATS

• Individual
• Category                       Player                           Rank    Total
• Clearances                   Pat Hogan                    1          80
•                                     James Musa                 10        65
• Assists                          Aodhan Quinn               T4        4
•                                     Jack Blake                    T16      2
•                                     Maalique Foster            T16      2
• Shots                            Jack Blake                    T10      19
• Goals                           Elvis Amoh                   T12      4
• Interceptions                 James Musa                 T14      14
• Saves                           Hunter Sulte                  T17      23
• Shots on Target            Jack Blake                    T19      8
• Team
• Category                       Rank    Total
• First-Half Goals             3          10
• Goals                           T5        18
• Conversion Rate           T6        18%
• Shots                            17        115

USL CHAMPIONSHIP HONORS

• Elvis Amoh
• Jägermeister Cup Team of the Round-Bench (4/29)
• USL Championship Team of the Week (Week 8/9 – 5/6)
• Jack Blake
• USL Championship Team of the Week (Week 2 – 3/18)
• USL Jägermeister Cup Team of the Round (4/29)
• Maalique Foster
• USLC Team of the Week – Bench (Week 4 – 4/1)
• USLC Team of the Week (Week 5 – 4/8)
• Pat Hogan
• USL Championship Team of the Week (Week 2 – 3/18)
• Aodhan Quinn
• USLC Goal of the Week nominee (Week 4 – 4/1)
• Bruno Rendon
• USL Championship Team of the Week (Week 3 – 3/25)
• Hunter Sulte
• USL Championship Team of the Week (Weeks 13/14 – 6/10)
• Romario Williams
• USL Championship Team of the Week (Weeks 13/14 – 6/10)

COACH SEAN McAULEY

Head coach Sean McAuley earned the USLC “Coach of the Month” last May and he was a nominee for USLC Midseason “Coach of the Year” after leading his team to a 12-match unbeaten streak in a two-month span from April 17 through June 15.

The Sheffield, England, native led Indy Eleven to the 2024 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup semifinals with four straight wins, including a 2-1 victory at MLS-side Atlanta United.

McAuley is in his second season in Indy after previously serving as interim head coach/assistant at MLS-side Minnesota United FC. McAuley helped Minnesota to playoff appearances in his first three seasons, including a trip to the Western Conference Finals in 2020.

In 2015, he hoisted the MLS Cup with the Portland Timbers. McAuley began his playing career with Manchester United and played for Portland Timbers and the Scottish U-21 National Team.

USLC:  16-14-14  |  USOC: 5-1-1  |  OVERALL: 23-15-15 (.575)

TEAM HIGH/LOWS

• Single-Match Highs
• Shots: 17 | May 28 vs HFD
• SOT: 8 | Mar. 15 at MIA
• Possession: 58.4% | May 28 vs HFD
• Corners: 11 | Mar. 29 vs COS
• Single-Match Lows
• Shots: 4 | June 4 at BHM
• SOT: 1 | June 4 at BHM
• Possession: 30.2% | May 10 at SAC
• Corners: 1 | Mar. 22 at LEX, May 10 at SAC, June 4 at BHM
• Opponent Highs
• Shots: 20 | June 4 at BHM
• SOT: 7 | May 28 vs HFD
• Possession: 69.8% | May 10 at SAC
• Corners: 8 | Mar. 29 vs COS, May 10 at SAC
• Opponent Lows
• Shots: 7 | Mar. 15 at MIA, Apr. 5 vs NC
• SOT: 2 | Apr. 5 vs NC
• Possession: 41.6% | May 28 vs HFD
• Corners: 2 | May 16 at ELP

USL Championship Regular-Season Player Milestones

• 60 Goals
• Romario Williams – 62
• 50 Goals
• Aodhan Quinn – 56
• 40 Goals
• Elvis Amoh – 44
• 30 Goals
• Jack Blake – 34
• 20 Goals
• Maalique Foster – 20
• Edward Kizza – (19)
• Elliot Collier – (18)
• 50 Assists
• Aodhan Quinn – 54
• 20 Assists
• Cam Lindley – 28
• Jack Blake – 23
• 15 Assists
• Maalique Foster – 16
• James Murphy- 16
• Aedan Stanley- 15
• 100 Goals+Assists
• Aodhan Quinn – 110 (56 goals, 54 assists)
• 70 Goals+Assists
• Romario Williams – 73 (62 goals, 11 assists)
• 50 Goals+Assists
• Jack Blake – 57 (34 goals, 23 assists)
• Elvis Amoh – 52 (44 goals, 8 assists)
• 30 Goals+Assists
• Maalique Foster – 36 (20 goals, 16 assists)
• Cam Lindley – 33 (5 goals, 28 assists)
• 20 Goals+Assists
• Elliot Collier – 25 (7 goals, 18 assists)
• Edward Kizza – 21 (19 goals, 2 assists)
• 10 Penalties Converted (attempted)
• Aodhan Quinn – 25 (28)
• Jack Blake – 11 (13)
• Romario Williams – 8 (10)
• 250 Appearances
• Aodhan Quinn – 272
• 200 Appearances
• James Musa – 212
• 150 Appearances
  Jack Blake – 179
  Cam Lindley – 168
• Romario Williams – 155
• 100 Appearances
• Elvis Amoh – 139
• Aedan Stanley – 138
• Ben Ofeimu – 137
  Elliot Collier – 116
• Pat Hogan – (97)
• 200 Games Started
• Aodhan Quinn – 258
• 150 Games Started
• James Musa – 199
• 100 Games Started
• Jack Blake – 150
• Cam Lindley – 144
• Aedan Stanley – 134
• James Murphy – 117
• Romario Williams – 115
• 20,000 Minutes
• Aodhan Quinn – 22,636
• 15,000 Minutes
• James Musa – 17,530
• 10,000 Minutes
• Jack Blake – 12,857
  Cam Lindley – 12,566
• Aedan Stanley – 12,025
• James Murphy – 10,574
• Ben Ofeimu – 10,273
• Romario Williams – 9,789
• ROSTER BREAKDOWN
• Goalkeepers (3):  Reice Charles-Cook, ^Ryan Hunsucker, Hunter Sulte
• Defenders (9):  Pat Hogan, ^Maverick McCoy, Finn McRobb, James Musa, Josh O’Brien, Ben Ofeimu, Bruno Rendon, Aedan Stanley, Hayden White
• Midfielders (7):  Jack Blake, Oliver Brynéus, Cam Lindley, James Murphy, Logan Neidlinger, Aodhan Quinn, Brem Soumaoro
• Forwards (5):  Elvis Amoh, Elliot Collier, Maalique Foster, Edward Kizza, Romario Williams
• ^USL Academy Contract

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FISHERS FREIGHT

FREIGHT FACE BLIZZARD IN GREEN BAY

FISHERS- The Fishers Freight will head to Green Bay this weekend to take on the Blizzard. This will be the first meeting between the two Midwestern teams. The Freight hope to snap their losing streak as they kick off the second half of the season.

FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS

This will be the Freight’s first Friday night game on the road and only their second this season after their home opener on April 4. This will be Green Bay’s fourth Friday night game out of seven this season. They are 2-1 in their previous three Friday night match ups. 

SCOUTING REPORT

Green Bay comes into this game with a 5-3 record and a two-game win streak. Their three losses have come against the Quad City Steamwheelers, Arizona Rattlers, and Tulsa Oilers. In two games this season, the Blizzard have scored a season high 74 points against their opponent, including last week where they defeated the Iowa Barnstormers 74-58.

ABOUT THE FISHERS FREIGHT:

The Fishers Freight are a professional indoor football team based in the Indianapolis metropolitan area that competes in the Indoor Football League. The Freight are now playing at the new Fishers Event Center. Information and tickets can be found HERE. 

Don’t forget to follow the Freight on Facebook, X (Twitter), Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube for news, updates, contests, and much more.

SMALL COLLEGE WEB SITES

UINDY ATHLETICS: https://athletics.uindy.edu/

MARIAN ATHLETICS: https://muknights.com/

INDIANA WESLEYAN ATHLETICS: https://iwuwildcats.com/

EARLHAM ATHLETICS: https://goearlham.com/

WABASH ATHLETICS: https://sports.wabash.edu/

FRANKLIN ATHLETICS: https://franklingrizzlies.com/

ROSE-HULMAN ATHLETICS: https://athletics.rose-hulman.edu/

ANDERSON ATHLETICS: https://athletics.anderson.edu/landing/index

TRINE ATHLETICS: https://trinethunder.com/landing/index

BETHEL ATHLETICS: https://bupilots.com/

DEPAUW ATHLETICS: https://depauwtigers.com/

HANOVER ATHLETICS: https://athletics.hanover.edu/

MANCHESTER ATHLETICS: https://muspartans.com/

HUNTINGTON ATHLETICS: https://www.huathletics.com/

OAKLAND CITY ATHLETICS: https://gomightyoaks.com/index.aspx

ST. FRANCIS ATHLETICS: https://www.saintfranciscougars.com/landing/index

IU KOKOMO ATHLETICS: https://iukcougars.com/

IU EAST ATHLETICS: https://www.iueredwolves.com/

IU SOUTH BEND ATHLETICS: https://iusbtitans.com/

PURDUE NORTHWEST ATHLETICS: https://pnwathletics.com/

INDIANA TECH ATHLETICS: https://indianatechwarriors.com/index.aspx

GRACE COLLEGE ATHLETICS: https://gclancers.com/

ST. MARY OF THE WOODS ATHLETICS: https://smwcathletics.com/

GOSHEN COLLEGE ATHLETICS: https://goleafs.net/

HOLY CROSS ATHLETICS: https://www.hcsaints.com/index.php

TAYLOR ATHLETICS: https://www.taylortrojans.com/

VINCENNES ATHLETICS: https://govutrailblazers.com/landing/index

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“SPORTS EXTRA”

TODAY IN BASEBALL HISTORY

June 14

1952 — Warren Spahn of the Boston Braves struck out 18 Cubs in a 3-1, 15-inning loss to Chicago. Spahn also homered.

1953 — The New York Yankees swept Cleveland, 6-2 and 3-0, to extend the team’s winning streak to eighteen consecutive games.

1963 — Duke Snider hit his 400th career home run to highlight a 10-3 triumph by the New York Mets over the Cincinnati Reds at Crosley Field.

1965 — Jim Maloney struck out 18 and no-hit the New York Mets for 10 innings, but Johnny Lewis’ leadoff home run in the 11th inning gave the Mets a 1-0 win.

1969 — Reggie Jackson knocked in 10 runs with two homers, a double and two singles in Oakland’s 21-7 win over the Red Sox in Boston. In the eighth, he drove in three runs with a single when he easily could have made second base.

1974 — Nolan Ryan struck out 19 batters in 12 innings to give the California Angels a 4-3 win over the Boston Red Sox in 15 innings. Cecil Cooper of the Red Sox struck out six times.

1978 — Pete Rose of the Cincinnati Reds had two hits in a 3-1 triumph over the Chicago Cubs to start his 44-game hitting streak.

1995 — Mike Benjamin went 6-for-7, setting a major league record with 14 hits in three games, and drove in the winning run in the 13th inning as the San Francisco Giants beat the Chicago Cubs 4-3.

2002 — Aaron Boone hit a pair of homers — one to tie the game in the ninth inning and one to win it in the 11th — off Pittsburgh closer Mike Williams as Cincinnati beat the Pirates 4-3.

2002 — With all 14 interleague games — and one NL game — taking place in National League parks, the DH was not employed anywhere throughout Major League Baseball.

2005 — Seattle’s Ichiro Suzuki became the third player since 1900 to reach 1,000 hits in fewer than 700 games when he singled in the bottom of the first inning in Seattle’s 3-1 win over Philadelphia. Suzuki’s 1,000th hit came in his 696th game. Chuck Klein reached the mark in 1933 in 683 games, and Lloyd Waner reached it in 1932 in 686 games.

2010 — The game between the Blue Jays and the Padres in Petco Park is interrupted in the 8th inning by an earthquake that registers 5.9 on the Richter scale. However, as there is no damage, the game resumes after a very brief interruption, with Toronto winning, 6-3, behind two homers by John Buck and 3 RBI by Aaron Hill.

2010 — For the first time in over 60 years, two players with 5,000+ career at-bats and a .330+ career average meet in a major league contest – Albert Pujols of the Cards versus Ichiro Suzuki of the Mariners. The last such matchup had occurred in 1942 with Joe Medwick and Paul Waner.

2013 — Major League Baseball came down hard on the Los Angeles Dodgers and Arizona Diamondbacks, handing out eight suspensions and a dozen fines as punishment for a bench-clearing brawl on June 11. Arizona pitcher Ian Kennedy got 10 games and infielder Eric Hinske five for their roles in the fight.

2017 — A gunman opens fire on a Republican congressional baseball team holding an early-morning practice in Alexandria, VA. Louisiana Representative Steve Scalise is among the five persons wounded in the attack, being shot in the hip. Capitol Police officers at the practice return fire and quickly apprehend the shooter, who is mortally wounded in the exchange. The team was preparing for its annual charity game against members of the Democratic party scheduled for later in the week.

2019 — Jake Bauers of the Cleveland Indians, hits the third cycle of the season one day after Shohei Otani of the Angels had hit the second.

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June 15

1902 — Corsicana defeated Texarkana 51-3 in a Texas League game. Nig Clark of Corsicana took advantage of the small park and hit eight homers. Some telegraph operators, thinking there was a mistake, reported the score as 5-3.

1925 — The Philadelphia Athletics went into the last half of the eighth inning trailing 15-4 and scored 13 runs to defeat Cleveland 17-15.

1938 — Four days after pitching a no-hitter against the Boston Braves, Johnny Vander Meer of the Cincinnati Reds pitched his second straight no-hit game, defeating the Dodgers 6-0 in the first night game played in Brooklyn.

1952 — The St. Louis Cardinals, down 11-0 entering the fifth inning, came back for a 14-12 triumph over the New York Giants in the first game of a doubleheader and set a National League record for best comeback.

1963 — San Francisco’s Juan Marichal pitched a no-hitter against the Houston Colts for a 1-0 victory, the first Giants no-hitter since Carl Hubbell’s in 1929.

1976 — The Pittsburgh Pirates and Houston Astros were “rained in” at the Houston Astrodome as 10 inches of rain fell on the city. Only members of both teams were able to make it to the stadium. Umpires, fans and stadium personnel were unable to make it through the water.

1980 — Cleveland Indian Jorge Orta collected six hits, a double and five singles, and scored four times in a 14-5 triumph over the Minnesota Twins. Toby Harrah had seven RBIs.

1992 — Jeff Reardon broke Rollie Fingers’ career save mark of 341 when he preserved a 1-0 victory for the Boston Red Sox with one scoreless inning against the New York Yankees.

2002 — A double in the fifth inning of Texas’ 4-0 loss to Houston gave Rafael Palmeiro 1,000 career extra-base hits. He became the 25th major leaguer to reach that mark.

2016 — Miami’s Ichiro Suzuki raised his career total in the Japanese and North American major leagues to 4,257, passing Pete Rose’s record Major League Baseball total. Suzuki had two hits for the Marlins in a 6-3 loss to the San Diego Padres, Suzuki had 1,278 hits for Orix in Japan’s Pacific League (1992-00) and has 2,979 with Seattle, the New York Yankees and Marlins. His first hit Wednesday was on a dribbler in the first. His second was a double into the right-field corner in the ninth.

2016 — Atlanta’s Freddie Freeman hit for the cycle in a 9-8, 13-inning win over Cincinnati.

2018 — The Arizona Diamondbacks beat the staggering New York Mets 7-3. The freefalling Mets dropped four consecutive, 12 of 13 and 19 of 23. After starting the season 11-1, the Mets (28-38) went from 10 games over .500 to 10 games under earlier than any team in major league history. The previous mark was held by the 2011 Marlins, who did it in their 76th game.

2020 — The impasse over the resumption of the MLB season gets deeper, as CommissionerRob Manfred now states that there may not be a season at all. It was expected that he would decree a 50-game season, as allowed by the March 26th agreement between the MLBPA and owners, but he is now reluctant to do so.

2022 — The Astros are the first team to throw two immaculate innings in the same game, as Luis Garcia strikes out the side on nine pitches in the 2nd, and Phil Maton repeats the feat in the 7th. In both cases the three batters for the Rangers are the same: Nathaniel Lowe, Ezequiel Duran and Brad Miller. Garcia and Maton are respectively the 8th and 9th pitchers to accomplish the feat for Houston.

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June 16

1916 — Tom Hughes of the Boston Braves pitched a no-hitter in a 2-0 win over Pittsburgh Pirates.

1938 — Jimmie Foxx didn’t get a chance to hit as the St. Louis Browns walked him six straight times. The Boston Red Sox won anyway, 12-8.

1953 — The St. Louis Browns beat New York 3-1 to break the Yankees’ 18-game winning streak and end their 14-game losing streak.

1957 — Relief pitcher Dixie Howell hit two home runs in the 3 2-3 innings he pitched to lead the Chicago White Sox to an 8-6 victory in the second game of a doubleheader against the Washington Senators.

1971 — The Oakland Athletics hit five solo home runs in a 5-1 win over the Washington Senators. Mike Epstein and Joe Rudi had a pair homers and Dave Duncan one. Epstein’s home runs came in his first two at-bats to give him homers in four straight at-bats over two games.

1978 — After three ninth-inning near misses, Tom Seaver threw the first no-hitter of his 12-year career as the Cincinnati Reds beat the St. Louis Cardinals 4-0.

1991 — Otis Nixon of Atlanta stole six bases against Montreal to set a modern National League record and tie the major league record set by Eddie Collins of the Philadelphia A’s in 1912. Montreal won the game 7-6.

1992 — Boston’s Mark Reardon became baseball’s all-time save leader when he closed out a 1-0 win over the New York Yankees. Reardon logged his 342nd save to pass Rollie Fingers.

1993 — Ken Griffey Jr. of the Seattle Mariners hits his 100th career home run in Seattle’s 6 – 1 victory over Kansas City to become the fourth-youngest to hit the century mark. Only Mel Ott, Eddie Mathews and Tony Conigliaro did it faster than the 23-year-old Griffey.

2001 — John Olerud went 4-for-5 and hit for the cycle as Seattle beat the San Diego Padres 9-2. He hit a homer in the ninth to complete the cycle.

2009 — The San Diego Padres set a major league record with their 12th straight loss in interleague play when they fell 5-0 to Seattle.

2014 — Hall of Famer Tony Gwynn, winner of eight National League batting titles, passes away from cancer of the salivary gland at 54.

2015 — Brock Holt became the first Boston player to hit for the cycle since 1996 and the Red Sox slugged their way out to a 9-4 victory over Atlanta.

2015 — Manny Machado and Chris Parmelee each hit two of an Orioles-record eight home runs, and Baltimore pounded woeful Philadelphia 19-3. The eight home runs were the most by the Orioles since their move from St. Louis in 1954.

2019 — An authentic Babe Ruth New York Yankees jersey from 1928-30 sets a record for a piece of baseball memorabilia as it sells for $5.64 million at auction.

2019 — The Padres and Rockies set a record for most combined runs in a four-game series with a total of 92, breaking the previous record of 88 set in 1929 between the Brooklyn Robins and Phillies.

June 17

1915 — George “Zip” Zabel of the Chicago Cubs was called into the game against the Brooklyn Dodgers with two outs in the first inning. He won 4-3 in the 19th inning in the longest relief effort in the majors.

1943 — Player-manager Joe Cronin of the Boston Red Sox hit a three-run pinch homer in both games of a doubleheader against the Philadelphia A’s. The Red Sox won the opener 5-4 and lost the second game 8-7.

1960 — Ted Williams of the Boston Red Sox connected for his 500th career home run off the Cleveland Indians. Williams, the fourth to accomplish the feat, hit a two-run homer off Wynn Hawkins in a 3-1 win.

1971 — Don Kessinger of the Chicago Cubs went 6-for-6, with five singles and a double, in a 7-6, 10-inning decision over the St. Louis Cardinals at Wrigley Field.

1978 — Ron Guidry of the New York Yankees struck out 18 California Angels to set an American League record for left-handers. Guidry, who struck out 15 in the first six innings, ended with a 4-0 four-hitter.

1993 — Baseball owners voted 26-2 in favor of expanding the playoffs for the first time in 25 years, doubling the teams that qualify to eight starting in 1994.

2007 — Brandon Watson extended his hitting streak to 43 games, breaking a 95-year-old International League record with a base hit in the Columbus Clippers’ 9-8 loss to the Ottawa Lynx. Jack Lelivelt set the IL record for the Rochester Hustlers in 1912.

2007 — Frank Thomas hit his record-breaking 244th homer as a designated hitter in Toronto’s 4-2 loss to Washington. The solo shot in the third inning moved Thomas past Edgar Martinez for the most homers by a DH in major league history.

2009 — Ivan Rodriguez catches the 2,227th game of his career, breaking Carlton Fisk’s record, in Houston’s 5 – 4, 10-inning loss to his former team, the Texas Rangers. For Texas, Omar Vizquel, the all-time leader for games played at shortstop, picks up his 2,677th hit, tying Luis Aparicio for most hits by a Venezuelan player.

2008 — Seattle’s Felix Hernandez struck out the side on nine pitches in the fourth inning of a 5-4 win over Florida, becoming the 13th pitcher in American League history to accomplish the feat.

2016 — Michaeal Saunders leads the Toronto Blue Jays to a 13-3 win over the Baltimore Orioles with three home runs and 8 RBIs.

2021 — The Arizona Diamondback set a new all-time mark with their 23rd consecutive road loss losing to the Giants 10-3.

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June 18

1938 — The Brooklyn Dodgers signed Babe Ruth to coach for the remainder of the season.

1947 — Cincinnati’s Ewell Blackwell tossed a 6-0 no-hitter against the Boston Braves.

1950 — In the nightcap of a doubleheader, the Cleveland Indians scored 14 runs in the first inning for an American League record as they trounced the Philadelphia A’s 21-2.

1953 — At Fenway Park, Dick Gernert’s home run highlighted the 17-run, 14-hit seventh inning as the Boston Red Sox beat the Detroit Tigers 23-3. The Red Sox were up 5-3 after 6 1/2 innings. The Red Sox scored the 17 runs on 14 hits and six walks and left the bases loaded. Gene Stephens collected three hits and Sammy White scored three runs and Tom Umphlett also reached base three times in the inning.

1960 — The San Francisco Giants fired Bill Rigney and selected Tom Sheehan as manager. At 66 years, 2 months and 18 days, Sheehan was the oldest man to debut as a manager of a major league team.

1967 — Houston Astro Don Wilson tossed the first of his two career no-hitters by blanking the Atlanta Braves 2-0, facing 30 batters and striking out 15.

1975 — Fred Lynn batted in 10 runs with three homers, a triple and a single in a 15-1 Boston Red Sox victory over the Detroit Tigers. Lynn’s 16 total bases tied an AL record.

1976 — Commissioner Bowie Kuhn voided the sale of Oakland Athletics stars Vida Blue, Rollie Fingers and Joe Rudi. Athletics owner Charlie Finley sold Blue to the New York Yankees for $1.5 million and Rudi and Fingers to the Boston Red Sox for $1 million each. Kuhn ordered the players to return to Oakland on grounds that they would upset the sport’s competitive balance.

1977 — New York Yankees outfielder Reggie Jackson and manager Billy Martin get into a dugout confrontation at Fenway Park that’s seen on national television. Martin removed his right fielder for loafing on a ball hit to the outfield. Jackson questioned Martin in the dugout and the two are eventually separated by coach Elston Howard.

1986 — California’s Don Sutton pitched a three-hitter for his 300th career victory as the Angels beat the Texas Rangers 5-1. The 41-year-old right-hander became the 19th pitcher in baseball history to win 300 games.

2002 — Luis Castillo of the Florida Marlins ties Rogers Hornsby’s 80-year-old record for the longest hitting streak by a second baseman, beating out a dribbler to the pitcher in the 6th inning to make it 33 games in a row. Florida beats the Cleveland Indians, 2 – 1.

2007 — Chone Figgins went 6-for-6 and drove in the game-winning run in the ninth inning to lift the Los Angeles Angels over Houston 10-9.

2011 — Connor Harrell hit the first College World Series home run in the new TD Ameritrade Park to break a sixth-inning tie and first-time qualifier Vanderbilt defeated North Carolina 7-3.

2012 — R.A. Dickey became the first major league pitcher in 24 years to throw consecutive one-hitters and Ike Davis hit a grand slam in the New York Mets’ 5-0 victory over the Baltimore Orioles. The previous pitcher to throw consecutive one-hitters was Dave Stieb for Toronto in September 1988.

2012 — Aaron Hill hit a solo homer in the seventh inning to become the fifth Arizona player to hit for the cycle, lifting the Diamondbacks to a 7-1 win over the Seattle Mariners.

2014 — Clayton Kershaw of the Dodgers throws the second no-hitter of the year, shutting out the Colorado Rockies, 8 – 0. It comes less than a month after his teammate Josh Beckett had pitched a no-hitter on May 26th. He strikes out 15 without giving up a walk, the only baserunner coming on a two-base error by SS Hanley Ramirez in the 8th.

2017 — Nolan Arenado completed the cycle with a three-run homer in the bottom of the ninth inning, and the Colorado Rockies stunned the San Francisco Giants by rallying for a 7-5 victory.

2024 — Hall of FamerWillie Mays, in the conversation for the greatest player ever and one of the last survivors from the Negro Leagues in the days when they were major leagues, passes away at 93.

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June 19

1927 — Jack Scott of the Philadelphia Phillies pitched two complete games in a doubleheader. Scott beat the Cincinnati Reds 3-1 and lost 3-0 in the second game. Scott was the last pitcher in major league history to complete two games on the same day.

1938 – Cincinnati pitcher Johnny Vander Meer coming off two straight no-hitters, extended his string of hitless innings to 21 2/3 against the Boston Bees. Vander Meer gave up a single to Debs Garms in the fourth inning. The Red won 14-1 behind Vander Meer’s four-hitter.

1941 — En route to 56, Joe DiMaggio hit in his 32nd consecutive game, going 3-for-3, including a home run, against the Chicago White Sox.

1942 — Paul Waner got hit number 3,000 — a single off Rip Sewell — but the Boston Braves lost to the Pittsburgh Pirates 7-6.

1952 — Brooklyn Dodger Carl Erskine pitched a 5-0 no-hitter against the Chicago Cubs at Ebbets Field.

1961 — Roger Maris’ ninth-inning homer off Kansas City’s Jim Archer was his 25th of the year, putting him seven games ahead of Babe Ruth’s pace in 1927.

1973 — Pete Rose of the Cincinnati Reds and Willie Davis of the Los Angeles Dodgers both collect their 2,000th hits. It is a single for Rose against the San Francisco Giants and a home run for Davis against the Atlanta Braves.

1974 — Steve Busby of the Kansas City Royals hurled his second no-hitter in 14 months and gave up just one walk in beating the Brewers 2-0 at Milwaukee.

1977 — The Boston Red Sox hit five home runs in an 11-1 triumph over the New York Yankees. The five homers gave the Red Sox a major league record 16 in three games. Boston hit six homers on the 17th and five on the 18th, also against the Yankees. In the series the Yankees had no homers.

1990 — Gary Carter plays in his 1,862nd career game as a catcher to break the National League mark set by Al Lopez.

1994 — John Smoltz became the 14th major league pitcher to give up four homers in an inning when he was tagged by Cincinnati. The Reds set a team record for home runs in an inning, connecting four times in the first inning. Hal Morris, Kevin Mitchell, Jeff Branson and Eddie Taubensee homered. Smoltz allowed 20 total bases in the first inning, the most given up in the NL since 1900.

2015 — Alex Rodriguez homered for his 3,000th career hit as the New York Yankees beat the Detroit Tigers 7-2.

2017 — Dodgers rookie Cody Bellinger launched two more home runs, setting a major league record with his powerful start, and Clayton Kershaw became the first 10-game winner in the National League despite giving up a career-high four long balls as Los Angeles held on for a 10-6 victory over the New York Mets. Bellinger reached 21 homers in 51 career games — faster than any other player in big league history.

2019 — One day after fouling a bunted ball in his face during batting practice and breaking his nose, Max Scherzer takes the mound for the Nationals against the Phillies sporting a prominent black eye. He still stymies the opposition with 7 scoreless innings in a 2 – 0 win. “Trust me, this thing looks a lot worse than it actually feels,” he explains to journalists.

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TODAY IN SPORTS HISTORY

June 14

1922 — Gene Sarazen edges Bobby Jones and John Black to win the U.S. Open tournament.

1934 — Max Baer stops Primo Carnera in 11th round in New York to win the world heavyweight title.

1952 — Jim Peters runs world record marathon (2:20:42.2).

1952 — Julius Boros shoots a 281 at Northwood Club in Dallas to win the U.S. Open over Ed Oliver by four strokes.

1958 — Tommy Bolt beats Gary Player by four strokes to win the U.S. Open.

1958 — Britain beats the United States 4-3 at Wimbledon to win the Wrightman Cup, the first win for Britain since 1930.

1981 — Donna Caponi Young wins the LPGA championship by one stroke over Jerilyn Britz and Pat Meyers.

1987 — The Los Angeles Lakers win their 10th NBA championship with a 106-93 victory over the Boston Celtics in Game 6 at the Forum.

1990 — Vinnie Johnson scores 15 points in the fourth quarter, including a 15-footer with seven-tenths of a second left, to give the Detroit Pistons a 92-90 win and the NBA title over Portland in five games.

1991 — Leroy Burrell sets a world record in the U.S. Championships in New York with a 9.90-second clocking in the men’s 100-meter dash. Carl Lewis, who held the record at 9.92 since the 1988 Olympics, finishes second.

1992 — NBA Finals: Chicago Bulls beat Port Trail Blazers, 97-93 in Game 6 for back-to-back titles; MVP: Michael Jordan for second straight year.

1994 — The New York Rangers hold off the Vancouver Canucks 3-2 in Game 7 for their first Stanley Cup in 54 years. MVP Brian Leetch, Adam Graves and Mark Messier score goals and Mike Richter makes 28 saves for New York.

1995 — The Houston Rockets complete the unlikeliest of NBA championship repeats, sweeping the Orlando Magic with a 113-101 victory. MVP Hakeem Olajuwon finishes with 35 points and 15 rebounds.

1998 — Michael Jordan scores 45 points, stealing the ball from Karl Malone and hitting a jumper with 5.2 seconds left to give Chicago an 87-86 win and a 4-2 series victory over Utah for a sixth NBA title.

2005 — Asafa Powell breaks the world record in the 100 meters with a 9.77 clocking at Olympic Stadium in Athens, Greece. Powell shaves one hundredth of a second off Tim Montgomery’s record of 9.78 set in Paris in 2002 — a mark that would later be wiped out because of doping charges.

2005 — Michelle Wie becomes the first female player to qualify for an adult male U.S. Golf Association championship, tying for first place in a 36-hole U.S. Amateur Public Links sectional qualifying tournament at Belle Vernon, Pa.

2007 — The San Antonio Spurs, who bounced over from the ABA in 1976, move in among the NBA’s greatest franchises with an 83-82 victory for a sweep of Cleveland. With their fourth championship since 1999, the Spurs join the Boston Celtics, Los Angeles Lakers and Chicago Bulls as the only teams in NBA history to win four titles.

2009 — The Los Angeles Lakers win their 15th championship, beating the Orlando Magic 99-86 in Game 5 of the NBA finals. Kobe Bryant, the MVP, scores 30 points in winning his fourth title, the first without Shaquille O’Neal. It’s the 10th championship for coach Phil Jackson, moving him past Boston’s Red Auerbach for the most all-time.

2015 — Inbee Park shoots a final round 68 to finish at 19-under par to win the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship for the third consecutive year and retake the No. 1 ranking in women’s golf. Park of South Korea finishes the season’s second major five strokes ahead of 22-year-old compatriot Sei Young Kim.

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June 15

1901 — Willie Anderson edges Alex Smith by one stroke in a playoff to take the U.S. Open.

1938 — Johnny Vander Meer of the Cincinnati Reds pitches his second straight no-hit game, defeating the Brooklyn Dodgers 6-0 in the first night game played at Ebbets Field.

1947 — Lew Worsham beats Sam Snead by one stroke on the final hole of a playoff to win the U.S. Open.

1951 — Joe Louis scored his last knock out victory.

1957 — Dick Mayer beats defending champion Cary Middlecoff by seven strokes in a playoff to win the U.S. Open.

1969 — Orville Moody shoots a 281 to beat Deane Beman, Al Geiberger and Bob Rosburg by one stroke and capture the U.S. Open.

1970 — Shirley Englehorn wins the LPGA championship with a four-stroke victory over Kathy Whitworth in the playoff round.

1980 — Jack Nicklaus wins his fourth U.S. Open with a record 272 for 72 holes.

1984 — American boxer Thomas Hearns retains WBC light middleweight title with 2 round KO of Roberto Durán of Panama at Caesar’s Palace, Las Vegas; marks first time in his illustrious career Durán knocked out.

1985 — Pinklon Thomas knocks out Mike Weaver in the eighth round to defend his World Boxing Council heavyweight title at the Riviera Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas.

1986 — Ray Floyd, 43, beats Chip Beck and Lanny Wadkins by two strokes to become the oldest golfer to win the U.S. Open. It is Floyd’s fourth and final major victory.

1987 — Michael Spinks TKOs Gerry Cooney in 5 for The Ring heavyweight boxing title at Convention Hall, Atlantic City, New Jersey.

1991 — Carl Lewis, one jump away from losing his 64-meet winning streak in the long jump, comes through with a dramatic victory when he soars 28 feet, 4¼ inches to pass leader Mike Powell by a half-inch in the U.S. Championships in New York.

1996 — Roy Jones Jr. completes a unique doubleheader, successfully defending his IBF super middleweight title after playing in a pro basketball game. Jones stops Eric Lucas in the 11th round after scoring five points in a United States Basketball League game in the afternoon, helping the Jacksonville Barracudas beat Treasure Coast 107-94.

1997 — Ernie Els wins his second U.S. Open championship in four years, finishing one stroke ahead of Colin Montgomerie. Els has the shot of the day on the 480-yard 17th hole when he hits a 5-iron from 212 yards to just 12 feet on the peninsula green.

2001 — Los Angeles beats Philadelphia 108-96 in Game 5 of the NBA Finals to complete the best playoff run in NBA history. The Lakers, who finish the playoffs with a record of 15-1, are the first to go through the playoffs undefeated on the road.

2003 — NBA Finals: San Antonio Spurs beat New Jersey Nets, 88-77 in Game 6 for franchise’s second title; MVP: Tim Duncan.

2003 — Jim Furyk wins his first major championship and put his name in the record books, matching the lowest 72-hole score in the 103 years of the U.S. Open. Furyk closes with a 2-over 72 to win by three shots over Stephen Leaney of Australia.

2004 — Detroit beats the Los Angeles Lakers 100-87 in Game 5 of the NBA Finals for the Pistons’ first championship in 14 years.

2008 — Down to his last stroke at Torrey Pines, Tiger Woods sinks a 12-foot birdie putt to force an 18-hole playoff against Rocco Mediate for the U.S. Open. They finish at 1-under 283, the first time since 2004 that someone breaks par in a U.S. Open.

2011 — The Boston Bruins win the Stanley Cup for the first time since 1972, beating the Vancouver Canucks 4-0 in Game 7 of the finals.

2014 — Martin Kaymer of Germany wins the U.S. Open after four days of dominance at Pinehurst No. 2. Kaymer finishes with an eight-shot victory over Rickie Fowler and Erik Compton and becomes the seventh player in the 114 years of the U.S. Open to go wire-to-wire.

2014 — The San Antonio Spurs win their fifth NBA championship, beating the Miami Heat 104-87 to win the series in five games.

2015 — Chicago’s Duncan Keith scores in the second period and directs a dominant defense that shuts down Tampa Bay’s high-scoring attack, and the Blackhawks beat the Lightning 2-0 in Game 6 for their third NHL title in the past six seasons.

2018— Christiano Renaldo, Portugal, scores a hat-trick in Portugal’s 3-3 tie with Spain in the World Cup. Renaldo becomes the fourth player to score in four different Worlc Cups and the first to score in eight consecutive major tournaments.

2019 — In a blockbuster NBA trade, the New Orleans Pelicans send forward Anthony Davis to the LA Lakers for Brandon Ingram, Lonzo Ball, Josh Hart & 3 future 1st round draft picks.

June 17

1954 — Rocky Marciano scores a 15-round unanimous decision over Ezzard Charles at New York to retain the world heavyweight title.

1960 — Ted Williams hit his 500th HR.

1961 — Gene Littler shoots a 68 in the final round to edge Doug Sanders and Bob Goalby in the U.S. Open.

1962 — Jack Nicklaus beats Arnold Palmer by three strokes in a playoff to win the U.S. Open.

1962 — Brazil beats Czechoslovakia 3-1 in Santiago, Chile to win its second straight FIFA World Cup title. Czechoslovakia scored first on a goal by Josef Masopust at 15 minutes. Two minutes later Amarildo tied the game. In the second half, Zito and Vavá scored goals to give Brazil the victory.

1973 — John Miller shoots a 63 in the final round to win the U.S. Open by one stroke over John Schlee at Oakmont, Pa. Miller’s 8-under 63 is the first ever carded in a major championship.

1976 — The 18-team NBA absorbs four of the six remaining ABA teams: the New York Nets, Indiana Pacers, San Antonio Spurs and Denver Nuggets.

1979 — Hale Irwin wins the U.S. Open by two strokes over Gary Player and Jerry Pate.

1989 — The Quebec Nordiques select Swedish center Mats Sundin with the No. 1 pick in the NHL Draft. He’s the first European player to be taken with the first pick.

1989 — U.S. beats Guatemala 2-1 in 3rd round of 1990 world soccer cup.

1990 — Fifty-year-old Harry Gant becomes the oldest driver to win a NASCAR race as he posts a 2.4-second victory over Rusty Wallace in the Miller 500 at Pocono International Raceway.

1991 — Payne Stewart escapes with a two-stroke victory over Scott Simpson in the highest-scoring U.S. Open playoff in 64 years.

1992 — Philadelphia 76ers trade Charles Barkley to Phoenix Suns.

1994 — O.J. Simpson doesn’t turn himself in on murder charges, LA police chase his Ford Bronco for 1½ hours before he eventually gives up (seen live on national TV).

1995 — Claude Lemieux snaps a tie at 3:17 of the third period as the New Jersey Devils open the Stanley Cup finals with a 2-1 victory over the Detroit Red Wings. The victory, the ninth on the road, breaks the NHL playoff record for road wins.

2007 — Angel Cabrera holds off Tiger Woods and Jim Furyk by a stroke to capture the U.S. Open. Cabrera shoots a 1-under-par 69 in the final round at brutal Oakmont (Pa.) Country Club.

2007 — Kate Ziegler breaks swimming’s oldest world record, shattering the 1,500-meter freestyle mark by 9 1/2 seconds at the TYR Meet of Champions Mission Viejo, Calif. Ziegler wins the 30-lap race in 15:42.54, easily erasing Janet Evans’ 1988 mark of 15:52.10 set in Orlando, Fla. At the time, Evans was the first woman to break 16 minutes.

2008 — The Boston Celtics win their 17th NBA title with a stunning 131-92 blowout over the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 6. Kevin Garnett scores 26 points with 14 rebounds, Ray Allen scores 26 and Paul Pierce, the finals MVP, adds 17.

2010 — The Los Angeles Lakers beat Boston for the first time in a Game 7 to repeat as NBA champions. The Lakers win their 16th NBA championship, dramatically rallying from a fourth-quarter 13-point deficit to beat the Celtics 83-79.

2011 — Rory McIlroy becomes the first player in the 111-year history of the U.S. Open to reach 13-under par, and despite a double bogey into the water on the final hole, his 5-under 66 is enough set the 36-hole scoring record at 131.

2012 — Webb Simpson wins the U.S. Open outlasting former U.S. Open champions Jim Furyk and Graeme McDowell.

2018 — Brooks Koepka wins a second consecutive U.S. Open, the first player to do so since Curtis Strange in 1989.

2024 — Boston Celtics beat the Dallas Mavericks 106-88 in Game 5 to clinch the club’s record 18th NBA Championship. Boston forward Jaylen Brown voted Finals MVP.

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June 18

1910 — Alex Smith wins the U.S. Open by beating John McDermont and Macdonald Smith in an 18-hole playoff at the Philadelphia Cricket Club. Smith beats McDermont by four strokes and Macdonald Smith by six.

1921 — The University of Illinois wins the first NCAA track and field championships with 20¼ points. Notre Dame finishes second with 16¾ points.

1941 — Joe Louis knocks out Billy Conn in the 13th round at the Polo Grounds in New York to retain the world heavyweight title.

1960 — Arnold Palmer beats amateur Jack Nicklaus by two strokes to win the U.S. Open.

1967 — Jack Nicklaus shoots a record 275 to beat Arnold Palmer for the U.S. Open. Nicklaus breaks Ben Hogan’s 1948 record by one stroke.

1972 — Jack Nicklaus wins the U.S. Open by three strokes over Bruce Crampton and ties Bobby Jones’ record of 13 major titles.

1972 — UEFA European Championship Final, Heysel Stadium, Brussels, Belgium: Gerd Müller scores a brace as West Germany beats Soviet Union, 3-0.

1975 — Bobby Orr of the Boston Bruins wins the Norris Trophy as the NHL’s best defenseman for the eighth consecutive year.

1984 — Fuzzy Zoeller shoots a 3-under 67 to beat Greg Norman by eight strokes in the 18-hole playoff at Winged Foot GC for the U.S. Open title.

1986 — California’s Don Sutton becomes the 19th pitcher in baseball history to win 300 games as he pitches a three-hitter to give the Angels a 5-1 triumph over the Texas Rangers.

1990 — Hale Irwin makes an 8-foot birdie putt on the 91st hole to beat Mike Donald in the first sudden-death playoff to decide the U.S. Open. It is the third U.S. Open title for the 45-year-old Irwin, the oldest winner in the tournament’s history.

1992 — Ottawa Senators make goalie Peter Sidorkiewicz their 1st draft pick.

1995 — Michael Johnson becomes the first national champion at 200 and 400 meters since 1899 as he captures both races at the USA-Mobil Championships.

1995 — FIFA Women’s World Cup Final, Råsunda Stadium, Stockholm, Sweden: Hege Riise & Marianne Pettersen score within 3 minutes of each other to give Norway a 2-0 win over Germany.

2000 — Tiger Woods turns the 100th U.S. Open into a one-man show, winning by 15 strokes over Ernie Els and Miguel Angel Jimenez. Woods’ 15-stroke margin shatters the Open mark of 11 set by Willie Smith in 1899 and is the largest in any major championship — surpassing the 13-stroke victory by Old Tom Morris in the 1862 British Open.

2006 — Phil Mickelson’s bid for a third consecutive major ends with a shocking collapse when he bungles his way to a double bogey on the final hole, giving the U.S. Open to Geoff Ogilvy.

2017 — Brooks Koepka breaks away from a tight pack with three straight birdies on the back nine at Erin Hills and closes with a 5-under 67 to win the U.S. Open for his first major championship.

2017 — Diana Taurasi scores 19 points to break the WNBA career scoring record in the Phoenix Mercury’s 90-59 loss to the Los Angeles Sparks. Taurasi finishes with 7,494 points, passing Tina Thompson’s mark of 7,488.

_____

June 19

1867 — Ruthless, ridden by J. Gilpatrick, wins the inaugural Belmont Stakes at Jerome Park in the Bronx. The filly earns $1,850 for her victory.

1914 — Harry Vardon wins his sixth and final British Open by shooting a 306, three strokes ahead of J.H. Taylor at Prestwick Club.

1936 — German heavyweight boxer Max Schmeling knocks out previously unbeaten Joe Louis in the 12th round. Schmeling’s victory sets off a propaganda war between the Nazi regime and the United States on the eve of World War II.

1938 — FIFA World Cup Final, Stade Olympique de Colombes, Paris, France: Luigi Colausig & Silvio Piola each score 2 goals as Italy beats Hungary, 4-1.

1954 — Ed Furgol edges Gene Littler by one stroke to win the U.S. Open, the first golf tournament to be televised nationally.

1955 — Jack Fleck beats Ben Hogan by three strokes in a playoff round to win the U.S. Open.

1973 — Pete Rose (Cincinnati Reds) and Willie Davis (LA Dodgers) both record 2,000th MLB career hit; Rose, a single in 4-0 win vs SF Giants; Davis, a HR in 3-0 win vs Atlanta Braves.

1977 — Hubert Green wins the U.S. Open by one stroke over Lou Graham.

1986 — Len Bias, the second pick in the NBA draft made by the Boston Celtics two days before, dies of a heart attack induced by cocaine use.

1992 — Evander Holyfield wins a unanimous decision over Larry Holmes to remain unbeaten and retain the undisputed heavyweight title.

1992 — Charlie Whittingham becomes the second trainer in history, behind D. Wayne Lukas, to top $100 million in purse earnings when Little by Little finishes second in the sixth race at Hollywood Park.

1999 — Dallas wins its first Stanley Cup, as Brett Hull’s controversial goal at 14:51 of the third overtime gives the Stars a 2-1 victory over the Buffalo Sabres in Game 6.

2000 — NBA Finals: Los Angeles Lakers beat Indiana Pacers, 116-111 in Game 6 to win the franchise’s first title in 12 years; MVP: Shaquille O’Neal.

2005 — Michael Campbell answers every challenge Tiger Woods throws his way for a two-shot victory in the U.S. Open. Retief Goosen, the two-time U.S. Open champion, turns in a collapse that ranks among the greatest in major championship history. He loses his three-shot lead in three holes and closes with an 81 to tie for 11th at 8 over.

2006 — Cam Ward stops nearly everything giving the Carolina Hurricanes their first Stanley Cup title with a 3-1 victory over Edmonton in Game 7.

2011 — Rory McIlroy runs away with the U.S. Open title, winning by eight shots and breaking the tournament scoring record by a whopping four strokes. McIlroy shoots a 2-under 69 to close the four days at Congressional in Bethesda, Md., at 16-under 268.

2015 — Alex Rodriguez homers for his 3,000th career hit as the New York Yankees beat the Detroit Tigers 7-2.

2016 — Dustin Johnson atones for his past mishaps in the majors winning the U.S. Open by three shots. Shane Lowry, who began the final round with a four-shot lead, Jim Furyk and Scott Piercy finish tied for second.

2016 — LeBron James and his relentless Cavaliers pulls off an improbable NBA Finals comeback to give the city of Cleveland its first title since 1964. James delivers on a promise from two years ago to bring a championship to his native northeast Ohio, and he and the Cavs become the first team to rally from a 3-1 finals deficit by beating the defending champion Golden State Warriors 93-89.

                                                                           #################

TV SPORTS

(All times Eastern)

Schedule subject to change and/or blackouts

Saturday, June 14

AUTO RACING

11:30 a.m.

FS1 — NTT IndyCar Series: Practice, World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway, Madison, Ill.

12:25 p.m.

ESPN2 — Formula 1: Practice, Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, Montreal

1 p.m.

FS1 — NXT Indy Car Series: Practice, World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway, Madison, Ill.

3 p.m.

FS1 — NTT IndyCar Series: Qualifying, World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway, Madison, Ill.

3:55 p.m.

ESPN2 — Formula 1: Qualifying, Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, Montreal

4:30 p.m.

CW — NASCAR Xfinity Series: The The Chilango 150, Autodromo Heranos Rodriguez, Mexico City

FS2 — NXT Indy Car Series: Qualifying, World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway, Madison, Ill.

5:30 p.m.

FS2 — NTT IndyCar Series: High Line & Final Practice, World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway, Madison, Ill.

7 p.m.

FS1 — ARCA Menards Series: The Berlin ARCA 200 at Berlin Raceway, Berlin Raceway and Entertainment Complex, Marne, Mich.

BIG3 BASKETBALL

4 p.m.

CBS — Week 1: L.A. Riot vs. Miami 305, Detroit Amps vs. Chicago Triplets, Houston Rig Hands vs. DMV Trilogy, Boston Ball Hogs vs. Dallas Power, Chicago

COLLEGE BASEBALL

2 p.m.

ESPN — Men’s College World Series: TBD, Game 3, Omaha, Neb.

7 p.m.

ESPN — Men’s College World Series: TBD, Game 4, Omaha, Neb.

COLLEGE TRACK AND FIELD (WOMEN’S)

9 p.m.

ESPN2 — NCAA Tournament: Outdoor Championships – Day 2, Eugene, Ore.

GOLF

10 a.m.

USA — PGA Tour: The U.S. Open, Third Round, Oakmont Country Club, Oakmont, Pa.

Noon

NBC — PGA Tour: The U.S. Open, Third Round, Oakmont Country Club, Oakmont, Pa.

3 p.m.

GOLF — LPGA Tour: The Meijer LPGA Classic for Simply Give, Third Round, Blythefield Country Club, Belmont, Mich.

LACROSSE (MEN’S)

1 p.m.

ABC — PLL: New York vs. Maryland, Villanova, Pa.

MIXED MARTIAL ARTS

10 p.m.

ESPN — UFC Fight Night Main Card: Kamaru Usman vs. Joaquin Buckley (Welterweights), Atlanta

MLB BASEBALL

4 p.m.

FS1 — St. Louis at Milwaukee

7 p.m.

FOX — Regional Coverage: N.Y. Yankees at Boston OR San Diego at Arizona

NHL HOCKEY

8 p.m.

TNT — Stanley Cup Final: Florida at Edmonton, Game 5 (If Necessary)

TRUTV — Stanley Cup Final: Florida at Edmonton, Game 5 (If Necessary)

SOCCER (MEN’S)

4:30 p.m.

FOX — MLS: L.A. Galaxy at St. Louis

SOCCER (WOMEN’S)

5 p.m.

ION — NWSL: Seattle at Chicago

7:30 p.m.

ION — NWSL: Louisville at Kansas City

10 p.m.

ION — NWSL: North Carolina at Angel City

SOFTBALL

Noon

ESPNU — Athletes Unlimited: TBD

UFL FOOTBALL

8 p.m.

ABC — UFL Championship: TBD, St. Louis

WNBA BASKETBALL

1 p.m.

CBS — Los Angeles at Minnesota

3 p.m.

ABC — New York at Indiana

_____

Sunday, June 15

AUTO RACING

2 p.m.

ABC — Formula 1: The Pirelli Grand Prix du Canada, Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, Montreal

3 p.m.

PRIME VIDEO — NASCAR Cup Series: The Viva Mexico 250, Autodromo Heranos Rodriguez, Mexico City

4:30 p.m.

FS1 — NXT Indy Car Series: The Indy NXT by Firestone, World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway, Madison, Ill.

8 p.m.

FOX — NTT IndyCar Series: The Bommarito Automotive Group 500, World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway, Madison, Ill.

COLLEGE BASEBALL

2 p.m.

ESPN — Men’s College World Series: TBD, Game 5, Omaha, Neb.

7 p.m.

ESPN2 — Men’s College World Series: TBD, Game 6, Omaha, Neb.

GOLF

9 a.m.

USA — PGA Tour: The U.S. Open, Final Round, Oakmont Country Club, Oakmont, Pa.

Noon

NBC — PGA Tour: The U.S. Open, Final Round, Oakmont Country Club, Oakmont, Pa.

1 p.m.

GOLF — LPGA Tour: The Meijer LPGA Classic for Simply Give, Final Round, Blythefield Country Club, Belmont, Mich.

2 p.m.

CBS — LPGA Tour: The Meijer LPGA Classic for Simply Give, Final Round, Blythefield Country Club, Belmont, Mich.

HORSE RACING

12:30 p.m.

FS1 — NYRA: America’s Day at the Races

5:30 p.m.

FS1 — NYRA: America’s Day at the Races

MLB BASEBALL

7 p.m.

ESPN San Francisco at L.A. Dodgers                                    

SOCCER (MEN’S)

6 p.m.               

FOX — CONCACAF Gold Cup Group Stage: Trinidad and Tobago vs. United States, Group D, San Jose, Calif.

SOCCER (WOMEN’S)

CBS — NWSL: Washington at Portland

WNBA BASKETBALL

Noon

CBS — Chicago at Connecticut

2 p.m. CBSSN — Atlanta at Washington