“THE SCOREBOARD” INDIANA HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL SCORES THURSDAY: https://www.maxpreps.com/in/baseball/scores/?date=4/9/2026 ========================================================== INDIANA HIGH SCHOOL SOFTBALL SCORES THURSDAY: https://www.maxpreps.com/in/softball/scores/?date=4/9/2026 ========================================================== COLLEGE BASEBALL SCORES INDIANA SCORES: NO GAMES SCHEDULED COMPLETE SCOREBOARD: https://d1baseball.com/scores/?date=20260409 ========================================================== COLLEGE SOFTBALL SCORES INDIANA SCORES: NO GAMES SCHEDULED COMPLETE SCOREBOARD: https://d1softball.com/scores/?date=20260409 ========================================================== MEN’S COLLEGE HOCKEY SCORES FROZEN FOUR THURSDAY, APRIL 9 WISCONSIN 2 NORTH DAKOTA 1 DENVER 4 MICHIGAN 3 2OT ========================================================== MEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL TRANSFER PORTAL TRACKER: https://www.on3.com/transfer-portal/wire/basketball/ ========================================================== WOMEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL TRANSFER PORTAL TRACKER: https://www.on3.com/transfer-portal/wire/womens-basketball/ ========================================================= MEN’S COLLEGE VOLLEYBALL SCORES #16 LEWIS 3 #7 BALL STATE 2 #9 LOYOLA CHICAGO 3 #20 PURDUE FT. WAYNE 1 #17 OHIO STATE 3 #11 MCKENDREE 2 #12 LINDENWOOD 3 NORTHERN KENTUCKY 0 #6 UC IRVINE 3 #18 CAL STATE NORTHRIDGE 1 #1 UCLA 3 UC MERCED 0 ========================================================== DIVISION 1 MEN’S LAX SCORES NO GAMES SCHEDULED ========================================================== DIVISION 1 WOMEN’S LAX SCORES #4 NORTHWESTERN 11 #1 MARYLAND 10 #25 RUTGERS 13 #5 MICHIGAN 12 #21 PENN STATE 19 OREGON 9 ========================================================== NBA SCORES TORONTO 128 MIAMI 114 CHICAGO 119 WASHINGTON 108 NEW YORK 112 BOSTON 106 INDIANA 123 BROOKLYN 94 HOUSTON 113 PHILADELPHIA 102 LA LAKERS 119 GOLDEN STATE 103 ========================================================== NBA G-LEAGUE SCORES NO GAMES SCHEDULED ========================================================== NHL SCORES NY ISLANDERS 5 TORONTO 3 BUFFALO 5 COLUMBUS 0 PITTSBURGH 5 NEW JERSEY 2 MONTRÉAL 2 TAMPA BAY 1 OTTAWA 5 FLORIDA 1 DETROIT 6 PHILADELPHIA 3 WINNIPEG 3 ST. LOUIS 2 CAROLINA 7 CHICAGO 2 DALLAS 5 MINNESOTA 4 COLORADO 3 CALGARY 1 UTAH 4 NASHVILLE 1 ANAHEIM 6 SAN JOSE 1 SEATTLE 4 VEGAS 3 LOS ANGELES 4 VANCOUVER 1 ========================================================== MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL MIAMI 8 CINCINNATI 1 LAS VEGAS 1 NY YANKEES 0 MINNESOTA 3 DETROIT 1 ARIZONA 7 NY METS 1 CHICAGO WHITE SOX 2 KANSAS CITY 0 SAN DIEGO 7 COLORADO 3 (12) ========================================================== MINOR LEAGUE BASEBALL LOUISVILLE 5 INDIANAPOLIS 1 FORT WAYNE 2 LANSING 1 PEORIA SOUTH BEND 3 ========================================================== WOMEN’S PRO VOLLEYBALL SCORES INDY 3 SAN DIEGO 2 ========================================================== UFL SCORES NO GAMES SCHEDULED ========================================================== MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER NO GAMES SCHEDULED ========================================================== MAJOR NATIONAL HEADLINES/RELEASES GOLF MCILROY HAS ANOTHER REASON TO CELEBRATE WITH HIS BEST MASTERS START IN 15 YEARS TO SHARE THE LEAD AUGUSTA, Ga. (AP) — Rory McIlroy began his title defense in the Masters with a tee shot that rolled next to a spectator’s seat. Another one was in the trees. His tee shot on the seventh hole went into the 17th fairway. The prevailing thought was not concern, not the slightest bit of panic. He’s the Masters champion. That brought a measure of patience and a load of freedom. “I just trusted that eventually I’ll start to make some good swings. So that was a little different,” McIlroy said after opening with a 5-under 67, his best start at Augusta National in 15 years, to share the lead with Sam Burns. It seems as though McIlroy has been wearing his Masters green jacket all week — to the weekend activities, to his news conference on Tuesday (Tiger Woods never did that), to the Masters Club dinner that night. And after his opening round? “It’s easier for me to make those swings and not worry about where it goes when I know that I can go to the Champions Locker Room and put my green jacket on at the end of the day,” he said. It wasn’t his best golf, but he got everything out of his round in his bid to become only the fourth player to win back-to-back at Augusta National. “By the way, Rory may never lose this thing again after last year,” Fred Couples said he told his caddie when he heard another cheer, presumably for McIlroy. Only one other player in the last 10 years — Hideki Matsuyama when he won in 2021 — shot 67 while hitting only five fairways. McIlroy was the sixth defending champion to have at least a share of the 18-hole lead, though only Jack Nicklaus (1966) went on to win. There’s a long way to go, and a course that already has everyone’s attention because of how fast and firm it already was on Thursday. Burns was among the early starters. He played the par 5s with three birdies and an eagle and wound up with his lowest score in his fifth Masters appearance. “Historically, people who have success here play the par 5s really well, and we were able to do that today. So it’s a good recipe around this golf course,” Burns said. Scottie Scheffler, the No. 1 player in the world going for a third green jacket in the last five years, was 3 under through three holes in the tougher afternoon, when the light gusts began playing tricks and the greens got crispy. He had one bogey and 14 pars the rest of the way for a 70. The whole day was tough, and the forecast — this could be the first Masters in 25 years without any rain — has everyone on edge thinking what the next three days could hold. Yes, the weather was gorgeous. But dry and firm conditions are scary, even in this marvelous garden. “It’s not right on the edge, but it’s playing nice and firm where you can get yourself in a lot of trouble if you lose control somewhere,” Adam Scott said after a 72. Patrick Reed, the 2018 Masters champion and a two-time winner on the European tour this year, was at 69 along with Jason Day and Kurt Kitayama. Reed was atop the leaderboard for so much of the day due to two eagles on the front nine that sent him out in 31. But he dropped a shot on the 10th, and then was flummoxed by what he thought was an ideal shot for his second into the par-5 15th. Such are the firmness of the greens that his shot hit hard off the back of the green, bounded down the slope and didn’t stop rolling until it was in the pond on No. 16. “Water?” Reed asked his caddie as he looked toward the green. “It landed on the green.” He later described it as a “head-scratcher.” “I knew if it went over the green, we would be fine,” Reed said. “Didn’t really think I was going to go 30 yards over the green.” Justin Rose, twice a playoff loser in the Masters, was in range of the lead until he dropped three shots over the last five holes and had to settle for a 70, tied with Scheffler, Xander Schauffele and Shane Lowry. The greens are already are so firm that Rose quipped, “You might get a yellow jacket if you win.” That was a reference to the shade of the greens — a yellow sheen means firm and fast, and that color on Thursday can make players nervous. Augusta National can still take a bite out of anyone with enough swirling gusts to bring indecision, or bad shots that wind up in the wrong spot. Bryson DeChambeau found that out on the 11th hole when he put his approach in the right bunker and it took him three to get out on his way to a 76. Jon Rahm turned potential birdie or better into a double bogey with a shot into the azalea bushes on the par-5 13th. He didn’t make a birdie in his 78. Only five players broke 70, and only 16 players broke par, the lowest in five years at the Masters for the opening round. Ten players failed to break 80. One of them was Robert MacIntyre of Scotland, the No. 8 player in the world. He was among three players to take quadruple-bogey 9 on the par-5 15th. McIlroy wasn’t sure want to expect in his 18th appearance, his first as the Masters champion. Only twice had he started with rounds in the 60s, his best a 65 in 2011. That year, he went on to shoot 80 on the final day. There were still nerves. It’s still Augusta National. “My hope was to get off to a solid start,” he said. “I feel like the way I played, 5 under, exceeded where I thought I would be or what I wanted to do.” RORY MCILROY TAPS INTO MASTERS CHAMPION CONFIDENCE TO SPARK RALLY AUGUSTA, Ga. — Rory McIlroy admitted he hasn’t felt the same at “certain” golf tournaments since completing the career grand slam 12 months ago, but all the same old feelings came rushing back on the first tee at Augusta National on Thursday. And that’s a good thing, in his estimation. “It’s the Masters. If I felt absolutely nothing on that first tee, that’s not a good sign,” he said after carding a 5-under-par 67 on Thursday to take a share of the lead. “So, it was nice to feel my hand shaking a little bit when the tee went into the ground and struggle to put the ball on top of the tee. “So, I knew I was feeling it. That’s a good thing. That’s why we want to be here. We want to be able to try to play our best golf when we’re feeling like that.” McIlroy entered Thursday with an average opening-round score of 71.7 in 17 previous Masters appearances. He appeared to be well on his way in that direction while missing his first six fairways with his driver and relying heavily on his short game to save several pars. Sitting at even par just off the fairway on the eighth hole, that’s when McIlroy said the pre-Masters champion version of him might have started to lose confidence in his swing. “It started pretty scrappy. I was hitting out of the trees a little bit the first seven holes,” he said. “Sometimes here that would lead me to get tentative and a little ‘guidey,’ and I kept swinging, just trusting that I’m going to find it eventually. “So, maybe that was a little bit different.” Rather than trying to get all of a 5-wood from the first cut off the eighth fairway, McIlroy choked down on a 3-wood and rolled it up to the center of the green. He two-putted for birdie, and the momentum shift was on. McIlroy would go 5 under for his final 11 holes of the day. He said earlier in the week that winning a Masters makes it easier to win a second one. McIlroy is now just the seventh Masters champion to hold at least a share of the first-round lead the following year. The list also includes Jack Burke Jr. (1957), Arnold Palmer (1961), Gary Player (1962), Jack Nicklaus (1966), Jose Maria Olazabal (1995) and Jordan Spieth (2016). “It’s hard to say because there’s still shots out there that you feel a little bit tight with, and you just have to stand up and commit to making a good swing and not worry about really where it goes,” he said. “But I think it’s easier for me to make those swings and not worry about where it goes when I know that I can go to the Champions Locker Room and put my green jacket on and have a Coke Zero at the end of the day.” McIlroy has also said repeatedly that he has things he still wants to accomplish in golf. He has declined to provide specifics other than to say the goal posts “keep nudging a little bit further and further out of reach.” Asked if repeating as Masters champion was one of those goals, McIlroy said that “certainly wasn’t at the forefront of my mind when I started 2026.” But he did admit that it was a good sign that those nerves returned on the first tee at Augusta National. “I was nervous, I was anxious just like I always am on that first tee,” he said. “It’s the first round of the 16 most important rounds of the season. It would be worrisome if I didn’t feel that way, because it still means something to me.” BRYSON DECHAMBEAU HUMBLED BY MISADVENTURES, OPENING 76 AT MASTERS AUGUSTA, Ga. — Bryson DeChambeau knows the feeling of something between proud accomplishment and elation, walking off the 18th green after the first round with the lead at the Masters. And he got reacquainted with the opposite emotion on Thursday. DeChambeau blasted a patron with his tee shot on No. 6 and the generous bounce was a benefit with the ball fading hard left. The patron, later greeted by DeChambeau and gifted the golf ball to pair with the parting bruise, was struck and the ball rolled closer to the green. He whacked and hacked his way out of a sand trap for a triple-bogey 7 at No. 11 and spent time staring at the green on 18, leaning heavily on his upside-down putter and closing out his round of 4-over-par 76 with a a three-putt finish. He birdied Nos. 3 and 17, and made bogey at Nos. 2, 16 and 18. “Bunker was softer than I anticipated,” DeChambeau said exiting the course of his beach challenge at 11. Entering the first round Thursday, DeChambeau had eight consecutive rounds within the top 10 at the Masters. He was closer to the bottom 10 on this day. Iron play was a letdown. DeChambeau overshot the green multiple times. He hit 44% of greens in regulation and was tied for 63rd when he signed his scorecard at 3:30 ET on Thursday afternoon. Of course, he transitioned straight to the driving range where the celebrated grinder appeared certain to test the curfew on the grounds Thursday night. “Just going to give what the golf course gives me. I have to try to hit my irons better,” DeChambeau said. “I drove it left numerous occasions. Did a great job on 18. Wind didn’t hurt it like we thought, and that’s this game. That’s the golf course.” A turnaround isn’t remotely out of the question. DeChambeau held the 18-hole lead with a 65 in the first round in 2024. That followed first-round scores of 76 in 2021 and 2022 and 74 in 2023. No player who has carded a triple-bogey during the tournament has wound up wearing the green jacket on Sunday. “Why am I hooking … everything!?” DeChambeau shouted rhetorically after floating his second on 18 out of the sand and well short of his greenside target. His third, a chip from off the green, landed well left of the hole and side spin took it 30 feet from the hole. A three-putt mercifully ended his round. In his 2024 opening round, the streaky DeChambeau had five birdies in the final seven holes. He doesn’t feel like he’s out of anything yet. “You know, everybody has an ability for weird things to happen, and today I just did not have my irons under control, which is weird,” DeChambeau said. “It’s been good coming into it.” ========================================================== BASEBALL AP STUDY: MLB AVERAGE SALARY HITS A RECORD $5.34M AS THE METS LEAD SPENDING AGAIN NEW YORK (AP) — Major League Baseball’s average salary rose 3.4% on opening day to a record $5.34 million, according to a study by The Associated Press, and the New York Mets topped spending at the season’s start for the fourth straight year. Mets outfielder Juan Soto is the highest-paid player for the second consecutive season at $61.9 million and was followed by New York Yankees outfielder Cody Bellinger at $42.5 million. Philadelphia pitcher Zack Wheeler and Mets third baseman Bo Bichette tied for third at $42 million. Toronto first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. was fifth at $40.2 million, just ahead of Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge at $40 million. The Mets’ payroll of $352.2 million was just below the record $355.4 million they set in 2023 and up from $322.6 million last year. The Mets’ total is more than five times that of Cleveland, the lowest-spending team at $62.3 million. The two-time defending World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers were second at $316.6 million, down from $319.5 million last year. The Dodgers’ total would be $395.2 million if deals for nine players with deferred money had not been discounted to present-day value. The Mets have deals with deferred money with just three players and their total would be $360 million without discounting. MLB’s average of $5,335,966 increased from $5,160,245 at the start of last season and has risen 28% under the five-year collective bargaining agreement that expires in December, an average of 5.6% annually. The top five spenders were unchanged from last year, with the Yankees third ($297.2 million), followed by Philadelphia ($282 million) and Toronto ($269 million). Six clubs had $250 million payrolls, up from four; and 10 teams had $200 million payrolls, an increase from nine. Eight teams were under $100 million, up from five. Detroit had the biggest increase, up $64.2 million to $206.7 million after signing pitcher Framber Valdez, re-signing Gleyber Torres with a qualifying offer and giving a big raise to ace Tarik Skubal via arbitration. Atlanta increased by $44.1 million, and the Chicago Cubs, Toronto and the Mets by just under $30 million. Minnesota slashed payroll by $46.3 million from opening day last year to $96.5 million. St. Louis cut its opening day payroll from $141.5 million to $100.4 million. The Cardinals’ spending includes $44 million it is paying Arizona and Boston as part of trades to get rid of Nolan Arenado, Sonny Gray and Willson Contreras, plus just under $3.4 million to Arenado as the present-day value of a $6 million assignment bonus that originally had been deferred money owed in his contract and remains payable by the Cardinals in 2040 and ’41. Other teams with big cuts included the Guardians ($40.2 million), Texas ($37.3 million) and Washington ($23.3 million). Payrolls include the 942 players on opening day rosters and injured lists. They do not include players on the restricted list such as Cleveland pitchers Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz, Atlanta outfielder Jurickson Profar and Philadelphia outfielder Johan Rojas. They also don’t reflect players who started the season assigned to minor league teams such as Dodgers second baseman Hyeseong Kim and Toronto pitcher Yariel Rodríguez. Baseball’s median salary, the point at which an equal number of players are above and below, rose to $1.4 million from $1.35 million and remained below the record high of $1.65 million at the start of 2015. Active rosters expanded to 26 players in 2021. Average and median salaries decline over the course of the season as veterans are released and replaced by younger players making closer to the minimum. MLB calculated the 2025 final average at $4.61 million and the players’ association at $4.72 million. There were 519 players earning $1 million or more, at 55% the same as last year. Nineteen players earned $30 million or more, an increase of four; 74 were at $20 million, up from 66; and 168 at $10 million, down from 177. Thirty-one players made the $780,000 minimum. The top 50 players make 30% of the salaries, up from 29% in the prior two years, and the top 100 earn 49%, up from 48% last year. The AP’s figures include salaries and prorated shares of signing bonuses and other guaranteed income. Payroll figures factor in adjustments for cash transactions in trades, signing bonuses that are the responsibility of the club agreeing to the contract, option buyouts and termination pay for released players. MLB’s payrolls are based on 40-man rosters and fluctuate each day depending on roster moves. MLB ROUNDUP: XANDER BOGAERTS’ 12TH-INNING SLAM POWERS PADRES PAST ROCKIES Xander Bogaerts belted a grand slam in the bottom of the 12th inning Thursday night as the San Diego Padres rallied past the visiting Colorado Rockies 7-3. Fernando Tatis Jr. started the inning with a sacrifice bunt that moved automatic runner Jake Cronenworth to third. After Valente Bellozo (0-1) intentionally walked Jackson Merrill and Manny Machado to fill the bases, Bogaerts lined a 1-0 pitch into the seats in left for his second homer of the year. David Morgan (1-0) pitched 1 2/3 hitless innings of relief to earn the win. Colorado got the go-ahead run to third in the top of the 12th, but Willi Castro was cut down at the plate on Brenton Doyle’s bouncer to Cronenworth at second. Each team scored a run in both the 10th and 11th innings. Twins 3, Tigers 1 Brooks Lee pulled an eighth-inning, two-run single through the right side of the infield, and Minnesota held on for a win over Detroit. Josh Bell went 3-for-4 and hit a solo home run for the Twins to complete a four-game sweep over the Tigers. Garrett Acton (1-0) earned his first career win after allowing one run in two innings of relief. He followed starter Mick Abel, who pitched six scoreless innings. Eric Orze pitched a scoreless ninth for his first save of the season. Gleyber Torres drove in the lone run for Detroit, which has dropped five straight games. Will Vest (0-2) gave up two runs on three hits in two-thirds of an inning. Athletics 1, Yankees 0 Jeffrey Springs allowed one hit in seven outstanding innings to lead the visiting Athletics past New York. Springs (2-0) took a no-hit bid into the seventh, surrendering just two walks while striking out six. Max Muncy tripled and scored off a Tyler Soderstrom single to help the Athletics record their first series win over the Yankees since April 2016. Ben Rice broke up Springs’ no-hit bid with a single for New York’s only hit of the day. Ryan Weathers (0-1) was the tough-luck loser despite surrendering just one run on seven hits in a season-high seven innings. The Yankees haven’t scored since taking a two-run lead on Luis Severino in the first inning of Wednesday’s 3-2 loss. White Sox 2, Royals 0 Anthony Kay struck out six to match a career high over 5 2/3 innings, and Colson Montgomery roped an RBI double as Chicago snapped its 14-game road losing streak to Kansas City. Luisangel Acuna added a sacrifice fly for Chicago, which won for just the third time in the last 25 games at Kauffman Stadium, where its previous victory came on Sept. 6, 2003. Kay (1-0) was making just his ninth career start but third this season for the White Sox. He yielded three hits on a career-high 100 pitches. Kansas City’s Seth Lugo (1-1) was charged with both runs while also giving up four hits and four walks over 6 1/3 innings. Maikel Garcia and Bobby Witt Jr. each had two hits, but they struck out for the final two outs, respectively, for the Royals, who stranded 11 runners and went 0-for-7 with runners in scoring position. Diamondbacks 7, Mets 1 Jorge Barrosa’s RBI triple capped a four-run seventh inning for Arizona, which went on to rout host New York in the decisive game of a three-game series. The Diamondbacks are 7-3 since being swept by the Los Angeles Dodgers in a season-opening three-game series. Arizona pinch hitter Gabriel Moreno tied the game with a run-scoring double in the seventh before Alek Thomas collected the go-ahead RBI on a fielder’s choice. Diamondbacks starter Eduardo Rodriguez (1-0) allowed one run on five hits over six innings. Luis Robert Jr. homered in the first inning for the Mets, whose consecutive losses to the Diamondbacks followed a four-game winning streak in which they outscored the opposition 28-8. Mets starter Nolan McLean (1-1) permitted two runs on three hits over 6 1/3 innings. Marlins 8, Reds 1 Owen Caissie and Javier Sanoja combined for six hits and five RBIs to lead host Miami to a defeat of Cincinnati, earning a split of the four-game set. In a battle of former first-round picks, Miami’s Max Meyer (1-0) allowed four hits, three walks and one run in five innings, striking out four. Reds starter Rhett Lowder (1-1) entered the game with the best eight-game ERA (1.30) in Reds history with a minimum of 30 innings. He had never allowed more than three runs in a game. On Thursday, he allowed eight hits and five runs (four earned) in 5 1/3 innings. Caissie (3-for-4, three RBIs) and Sanoja (3-for-4, two RBIs) led Miami’s offense. Agustin Ramirez went 2-for-5 with two RBIs. ========================================================= COLLEGE FOOTBALL NIL DEALS AND PLAYERS’ REACTIONS TO THEM GIVE NFL TEAMS ANOTHER TOOL TO EVALUATE DRAFT PROSPECTS The NIL deals that are transforming college sports are also allowing NFL teams to gain insight into how a young player will react to having money before they get a big pro contract. For many evaluators, it has become an important tool in the draft process. “The cool thing about college scouting that we always had to answer when we were going to schools, how’s a guy going to be when he has money? Now we have that answer,” Los Angeles Chargers general manager Joe Hortiz said recently. “Some guys get the money and change the way they are. Other guys get the money and you hear stories about taking guys out for dinner, taking his teammates (out) and he works hard, is a leader. You kind of get the answer. It’s a great thing and it’s great for players in college to have that opportunity.” Spending habits can also help determine a player’s level of maturity, revealing whether they’re disciplined or become distracted. A prospect who stays focused despite lucrative deals is more likely to make a smoother transition to the pros. Scouts want to see if a player’s performance dips after making a lot of money or if he maintains the same work ethic and consistency. How they interact with teammates is also a key dynamic. “Does the guy have eight cars or does he actually have a financial advisor, and he puts it into an S&P stock index because he’s trying to grow his portfolio?” Houston Texans GM Nick Caserio said. “You’ve got probably a different thought process that goes into it. I know what I would do. Nobody was giving me any NIL money and I wasn’t good enough. But, again, it’s just understanding their thought process.” College players weren’t allowed to earn money from their athletic skills until 2021, when the NCAA changed the rules to give students an opportunity to profit from their name, image and likeness. The decision, along with the freedom of movement provided by the transfer portal, has dramatically changed the landscape of college sports. Top players are cashing in from the big brands now. Schools are allowed to spend up to $20.5 million to pay athletes. Many players are following the money and switching colleges as a result. “I think it paints a clearer picture in terms of makeup,” Chicago Bears GM Ryan Poles said. “I like to follow the whole journey. I don’t hold it against an 18-year-old that gets a million bucks to go to school and maybe didn’t have his priorities straight. I think most of us here, if that happened to us, we might be doing some crazy things, too, or maybe not focus where we should be focused. But I want to see the learning lessons that come from that and understand their structure of the people they put around them. I want to understand how they battle through adversity. I think the toughest thing is when there’s an out to transfer when things get hard, we heard the resilience of our young players. So I want to learn through that and learn how they grew throughout their whole deal.” NIL deals can also help prepare players for life in the NFL, giving them exposure to money, endorsements and public branding. They get to experience fame and financial responsibility in college. “I think it helps, for us, it helps us reveal maybe makeup, character, behavior,” Denver Broncos coach Sean Payton said. “To some degree, you can see the journey that some players take. And look, in a lot of ways, (it has been) a very positive change.” Transfers were sometimes considered a red flag. Not anymore. “Back in the day, if a guy transferred one time, you kind of asked what happened? Like, did you get run out of this school or whatever?” Buffalo Bills GM Brandon Beane said. “Well, now it’s. … why’d you stay here four years? Like, what happened? It’s almost, it’s flipped, but you do ask those questions. And sometimes you ask them about, did you leave just because of the money? Did you leave for other reasons? You kind of just want to know. And at the same time, our scouts, one of their jobs, is talking to individuals at each program and trying to put together that puzzle of who this person is, how they tick. Are they simply motivated just for money? Or is the money a side benefit? They’re really still playing the game for the love of the game.” Some players stay in school longer because they can make more money as a college athlete if they’re not considered a top-round draft pick. More experience can also help them improve their draft positioning. Carolina Panthers GM Dan Morgan said he scouted some players who opted to stay another year that he wishes would’ve declared for the draft. “We just gotta evaluate who is at our disposal,” Morgan said. ========================================================== COLLEGE BASKETBALL BIG TEN EARNS NEARLY $70M IN MARCH MADNESS INCENTIVES FOR APPEARING AND ADVANCING IN TOURNAMENTS The Big Ten Conference amassed nearly $70 million from NCAA distributions that will be paid for team appearances and performances in the 2026 men’s and women’s basketball tournaments. That is by far the most among conferences, largely because the Big Ten swept the national championships — Michigan won the men’s and UCLA the women’s — and had Illinois advance to the men’s Final Four. The NCAA, which has multibillion-dollar broadcast deals for the two tournaments, since 1991 has rewarded conferences for their number of tournament bids and how far those teams advance in the men’s tournament. A similar system for the women’s tournament began in 2025. The dollars are piling up: — For this year’s tournaments, nine men’s teams and 12 women’s teams from the Big Ten combined to make at least $69.4 million, with $63 million coming from the men’s side. — The Southeastern Conference, which had 10 teams in each tournament, totaled at least $56.2 million ($50.4 million for men, $5.8 million for women). — Distributions will total at least $42.9 million for the Big 12, $34.2 million for the Atlantic Coast Conference and $22.2 million for the Big East. The NCAA sends payments directly to the conferences, which distribute the money among their teams according to their policies. Payments for the 2026 tournament will begin in April 2027. How the NCAA pays tournament teams is based on ‘units’ Teams in each tournament earn what’s known as a “unit” for making the field of 68 and an additional unit for each round in which it appears. The national champion is awarded an extra unit. The value of a unit increases each year. A portion of revenue from the tournaments’ broadcast agreements are directed to distribution payments, 24% for the men and 41% for the women. The estimated value of a unit for the 2026 men’s tournament will be about $350,000, an NCAA spokeswoman said, and that amount will be paid annually for six years. So a single unit earned in 2026 would have a total value of at least $2.1 million over those six years and probably more because Division I distribution funds — including the basketball funds — are scheduled to increase each year, typically by 2.9%. For the women’s tournament, full funding for units earned will be achieved in 2027. Payments for each unit earned will be made for three years rather than six. The unit value was $75,000 for 2026 and will decrease to about $63,000 next year as part of the NCAA’s formula for getting the fund fully up and running. Using $63,000 as an estimate for the 2028 value, a single unit earned in 2026 would be worth at least $201,000 by the time it is paid off over three years. Breaking down the money from 2026 March Madness The Big Ten’s nine teams in the men’s tournament appeared in 29 games. Michigan earned $14.7 million for the conference by playing in six games and receiving a seventh unit for winning the championship. Illinois earned five units for making the Final Four ($10.5 million) and Iowa and Purdue four apiece for reaching the Elite Eight ($8.4 million each). The Big Ten landed 12 teams in the women’s tournament, and they combined to play in 31 games. UCLA earned just over $1.4 million by playing in six games and receiving an extra unit for winning the championship. Michigan’s four games earned $804,000 and Minnesota’s three earned $603,000. The championships in men’s and women’s basketball continued what’s been a banner 2025-26 for the Big Ten. Indiana won the conference’s third straight College Football Playoff, and other national championships have been won in men’s wrestling (Penn State), women’s ice hockey (Wisconsin), men’s water polo (UCLA), men’s soccer (Washington) and field hockey (Northwestern). ============================================================ NFL REPORT: JUSTICE DEPARTMENT OPENS INVESTIGATION INTO NFL The federal Justice Department is investigating whether the NFL’s media package has led the league to harm consumers financially by anticompetitive actions, the Wall Street Journal reported Thursday. The investigation launched after the Justice Department heard recent concerns by media companies, members of Congress, consumers and regulators. The crux of the complaint is that the NFL has agreed to media deals with partners that stretch beyond the reach of major networks and ESPN, citing the difficulty fans have in watching games on television, Basic cable no longer is enough. In the 2026-27 season, some NFL games will stream exclusively on Netflix, Prime Video, Peacock and additional outlets, all of which require a paid subscription. The number of games going to non-traditional outlets is growing. Prime Video, for example, took over the Thursday night package of games in 2022 and since has gained the rights to action on Black Friday and Christmas, as well as a playoff game. The league issued a statement defending how the games are shown. “With over 87% of our games on free, broadcast television, including 100% of games in the markets of the competing teams, the NFL has for decades put our fans front and center in how we distribute our content,” a league spokesperson said, per The Athletic. “The 2025 season was our most viewed since 1989 and reflects the strength of the NFL distribution model and its wide availability to all fans.” At issue for the Justice Department is looking at whether the NFL has violated the Sports Broadcast Act of 1961, which gives the NFL an antitrust exemption concerning the negotiation of media rights. The exemption allows the league to negotiate the rights on behalf of all 32 teams instead of the teams doing it themselves. By negotiating in bulk, the NFL can make sure teams get close to equal revenues and create financial parity among teams in major media markets, such as Los Angeles and New York, and smaller ones, such as Buffalo and Green Bay. The NFL currently is in renegotiations about media rights with providers, The Athletic reported. Brendan Carr, chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, told the New York Post last month that consumers could pay as much as $1,500 a year for access to every football game. He added that if too many games are sent to streaming services, the league could lose the exemption KIRK COUSINS SAYS BEST QB SHOULD START IF RAIDERS DRAFT FERNANDO MENDOZA HENDERSON, Nev. (AP) — Kirk Cousins was blindsided when Atlanta drafted Michael Penix Jr. eighth overall in 2024 — just a month after he signed a four-year, $180 million deal with the Falcons. He comes to Las Vegas with a firmer sense of his role, and if Fernando Mendoza is selected by the Raiders with the No. 1 overall pick and beats out Cousins for the starting quarterback job, then so be it. “We all want to play,” Cousins said Wednesday at his introductory news conference. “I made this clear to (coach) Klint (Kubiak) that the best player needs to play. If that’s not me, I don’t want to be out there. I don’t think that’s the best thing for the team. If I’m the best option, I think it’s important those guys are out there.” The Raiders signed Cousins to a deal in which $20 million is guaranteed. Las Vegas is on the hook for $1.3 million this year and $10 million next March when the new league year begins. The Falcons will pick up the remaining $8.7 million for this season. The Raiders also have a two-year, $80 million option. “I really want to finish my career strong,” said Cousins, who turns 38 shortly before next season. “I got an opportunity to do that here in Vegas and want to make the most of it.” Part of that might be mentoring Mendoza, who won the Heisman Trophy and led Indiana to the national championship. The Raiders, who sent representatives to the title game and Mendoza’s pro day on April 1, are expected to use the first pick in the NFL draft to take him. Kubiak and general manager John Spytek have said before signing Cousins that they would prefer a rookie quarterback not start right away. Thus the reason for signing the veteran. Cousins got the chance to meet Mendoza on Tuesday when he was in the Raiders’ facility for his pre-draft visit. “He seems like a high-caliber person,” Cousins said. “If we’re fortunate enough to get him here, it will be a privilege to work together. The rookie year is always at the forefront of my memory. It was a lot of change, a lot of adjustments. At that time, I was a fourth-round pick, a very different experience from being a high pick.” After the way his tenure ended in Atlanta, Cousins said he was reinvigorated getting off the plane in Las Vegas and arriving at a facility in which he talked about being able to see the mountains from the meeting rooms. Despite the surprise draft-night selection of Penix in 2024, Cousins ended his two years with the Falcons on a high note by winning his final four starts. Now he wants to build on that. “There’s a joy and excitement being here,” Cousins said. “Partly, probably it has to do with the tradition of this organization, especially getting to put on this logo, one of the coolest logos in professional sports. It’s a real privilege to be here.” He also talked about the value of joining an organization in which Tom Brady is a minority owner and has significant input into how the franchise operates. “Not a lot of ownership groups would have someone with that kind of on-field experience that can talk with you at the level he can,” Cousins said. “I’d like to think that could be a competitive advantage up ahead. It’s a privilege to have access to someone like that.” ========================================================== NBA NBA ROUNDUP: KNICKS TOP CELTICS TO EXTEND HOME WIN STREAK TO 6 Josh Hart had 26 points and Jalen Brunson added 25 points and 10 assists as the New York Knicks extended their home winning streak to six games by beating the visiting Boston Celtics 112-106 on Thursday. Boston was within 109-106 after a Nikola Vucevic basket with 35.6 seconds left, but a Hart 3-pointer extended the lead to six points with 15.2 seconds remaining. Hart made 5 of 7 3-point attempts, including two in the final minute. New York, which can still catch Boston and finish as high as second in the Eastern Conference standings, received 16 points and 12 rebounds from Karl-Anthony Towns. Jayson Tatum led Boston with 24 points, 13 rebounds and eight assists. Payton Pritchard added 23 points and Baylor Scheierman finished with 20. Scheierman made 6 of 7 3-point shots. Jaylen Brown (Achilles) sat out. Rockets 113, 76ers 102 Kevin Durant scored a game-high 29 points and drilled a critical late 3-pointer that helped host Houston fend off hard-charging Philadelphia. The Rockets extended their winning streak to eight games but had to sweat out the final minutes, when what was once a 28-point lead was trimmed to three. Jabari Smith Jr. and Amen Thompson added 19 points apiece for Houston. The 76ers, who have lost three straight, played without Joel Embiid, who underwent an emergency appendectomy earlier on Thursday. Tyrese Maxey paced Philadelphia with 23 points while VJ Edgecombe added 21 points, six rebounds and eight assists. Raptors 128, Heat 114 Brandon Ingram scored 23 of his 38 points in the first half as Toronto defeated visiting Miami to complete a four-game sweep of the Heat and move into fifth in the Eastern Conference standings. RJ Barrett complemented Ingram with 22 points for the Raptors, while Collin Murray-Boyles went perfect from the field in scoring 17 points. Scottie Barnes and Immanuel Quickley added 13 and 11 points, respectively. Bam Adebayo bounced back from a disappointing performance Tuesday by tallying 24 points and adding 11 rebounds for Miami. Tyler Herro scored 15 points, while Davion Mitchell added 15 points and 11 assists. Bulls 119, Wizards 108 Tre Jones scored 31 points, Collin Sexton had 27 and Leonard Miller recorded a career-high 26, fueling visiting Chicago to a victory over Washington. Jones sank 9 of 14 shots from the floor and all 12 of his attempts from the free-throw line for the Bulls, who rode a strong finish to the third quarter en route to defeating the Wizards for the second time in three days. Miller, who made 11 of 14 shots from the floor, added 11 rebounds to record his second double-double in three games. Washington rookie Will Riley collected 23 points, nine rebounds and seven assists, and Julian Reese recorded 16 points and 15 boards. Leaky Black and Anthony Gill each scored 14 points for the undermanned Wizards, who dressed the league-minimum eight players on Thursday. Pacers 123, Nets 94 Reserve Obi Toppin collected a season-high 26 points and grabbed nine rebounds as Indiana seized control in the first quarter and rolled to an easy victory over Brooklyn. Toppin, the only available player to appear in the NBA Finals last season for Indiana, made 11 of 14 shots in 19 minutes. Micah Potter added 18 points and 14 rebounds for the Pacers, who shot 52%, scored 80 points in the paint and outrebounded Brooklyn 66-43. NBA game highlights E.J. Liddell led the Nets with a career-high 26 points and a career-best 10 rebounds. He made 10 of 16 shots and set his career high for scoring in a third straight game. Rookie Ben Saraf added 19 points and Tyson Etienne contributed 14. Lakers 119, Warriors 103 LeBron James tallied 26 points, 11 assists and eight rebounds as Los Angeles snapped a three-game losing streak with a win over Golden State in San Francisco. Deandre Ayton scored 21 points on 9-of-11 shooting and Jake LaRavia added 16 points for the Lakers, who moved into a tie with the Houston Rockets for the No. 4 spot in the Western Conference. Both teams are one game behind the Denver Nuggets. Luke Kennard finished with 14 points, Rui Hachimura and Nick Smith Jr. added 12 apiece and Bronny James had 10. Brandin Podziemski and Nate Williams led Golden State (37-43) with 17 points apiece. Charles Bassey, Pat Spencer and Malevy Leons each scored 12 points, Seth Curry added 11, and Gary Payton II had 10. Bassey grabbed a season-high 13 rebounds. ========================================================= NHL NHL ROUNDUP: MAMMOTH, PENGUINS CLINCH PLAYOFF BERTHS Dylan Guenther and Nick Schmaltz each had a goal and an assist for the Utah Mammoth, who clinched a playoff berth shortly after earning a 4-1 victory over the Nashville Predators on Thursday in Salt Lake City. The Anaheim Ducks’ subsequent 6-1 win over the San Jose Sharks allowed Utah to seal a postseason bid in its second season. Clayton Keller had three primary assists for the Mammoth, who won their fifth straight game. Kailer Yamamoto and Lawson Crouse also scored goals, and Logan Cooley added two assists. Karel Vejmelka finished with 29 saves. Erik Haula scored a goal and Juuse Saros made 23 saves for Nashville, which had a four-game point streak (3-0-1) snapped. The Predators are one point behind the Los Angeles Kings for the second Western Conference wild-card spot. Penguins 5, Devils 2 Tommy Novak and Egor Chinakhov scored nine seconds apart for Pittsburgh, which clinched its first playoff spot since 2022 by winning in Newark, N.J. Bryan Rust, Evgeni Malkin and Erik Karlsson also scored for the Penguins. Chinakhov and Sidney Crosby had a pair of assists apiece, while Malkin and Karlsson both added a helper. Stuart Skinner stopped 19 shots. Paul Cotter and Jack Hughes were the goal-scorers for the Devils. Jake Allen made 25 saves. Avalanche 3, Flames 1 Nathan MacKinnon and Martin Necas had a goal and two assists each as Colorado beat Calgary in Denver to clinch the top overall seed for the postseason. MacKinnon set a career high with his 52nd goal, Gabriel Landeskog also scored and Mackenzie Blackwood turned away 28 shots, helping the Avalanche clinch the Presidents’ Trophy for the fourth time. Tyson Gross scored his first NHL goal in his third career game and Dustin Wolf made 38 saves for the Flames, who have dropped four of their past five games (1-3-1). Hurricanes 7, Blackhawks 2 Logan Stankoven had two goals and an assist and Mark Jankowski scored twice to lift visiting Carolina to a victory over Chicago. The Hurricanes moved two points ahead of Buffalo for home-ice advantage in the Eastern Conference playoffs. Frederik Andersen made 23 saves for Carolina while William Carrier earned three assists. Taylor Hall recorded a goal and an assist, and K’Andre Miller and Sean Walker also scored. The Blackhawks sputtered to their seventh loss in eight games (1-6-1). Anton Frondell scored twice for Chicago, Louis Crevier had two assists, and Spencer Knight stopped 15 shots. Senators 5, Panthers 1 Fabian Zetterlund scored twice, Jake Sanderson had two assists and Linus Ullmark made 22 saves as Ottawa inched closer to a playoff berth with a victory over visiting Florida. Drake Batherson, Artem Zub and Claude Giroux also scored for Ottawa, which completed a 4-1 homestand and stayed three points ahead of the Islanders and the Red Wings for the Eastern Conference’s second wild-card slot. The Senators also moved within two points of the idle Boston Bruins for the first wild-card slot. Jesper Boqvist scored with 5:43 remaining in the game for the Panthers, slipping the puck past Ullmark to avoid the shutout. Sergei Bobrovsky turned away 23 of 27 shots. Islanders 5, Maple Leafs 3 Matthew Schaefer tied the rookie record for goals by a defenseman (23) as New York, in its first game with Peter DeBoer as head coach, defeated visiting Toronto. Calum Ritchie had a goal and an assist and Tony DeAngelo returned from an injury absence to register two assists as the Islanders snapped a four-game skid. Ilya Sorokin made 13 saves. The Maple Leafs got goals from Steven Lorentz, Easton Cowan and Morgan Rielly. Artur Akhtyamov stopped 39 of 44 shots in his first NHL start. Red Wings 6, Flyers 3 Dylan Larkin recorded a hat trick and an assist to highlight Detroit’s resounding victory over visiting Philadelphia. Alex DeBrincat became the first Red Wings player with 40 goals in a season since Marian Hossa in 2009. Moritz Seider had a goal and four assists and Patrick Kane added a goal and two helpers for Detroit, which had lost seven of its previous nine games (2-6-1). Porter Martone had a goal and an assist for the Flyers, who had won three in a row. Christian Dvorak and Luke Glendening also scored for Philadelphia. Sabres 5, Blue Jackets 0 Colten Ellis made 37 saves for his first career shutout in host Buffalo’s win over Columbus. Josh Doan had two goals and Peyton Krebs, Jack Quinn and Rasmus Dahlin also scored for the first-place Sabres, who won their third straight game and remained two points up on Montreal in the Atlantic Division. Josh Norris and Logan Stanley had two assists each. Jet Greaves stopped 19 shots for the Blue Jackets, who are 1-6-1 in their past eight as their playoff chances absorbed a potentially mortal blow. Canadiens 2, Lightning 1 Juraj Slafkovsky scored with 1:04 remaining in the third period and host Montreal edged Tampa Bay. Cole Caufield notched his 50th goal of the season for the Canadiens. Suzuki had two assists, Slafkovsky tallied a goal and an assist and Jakub Dobes made 17 saves. Darren Raddysh tallied and Andrei Vasilevskiy made 19 saves for the Lightning, who have lost three straight and trail the second-place Canadiens by two points and the first-place Sabres by four in the Atlantic Division. Jets 3, Blues 2 Mark Scheifele reached 99 points on the season with two assists as Winnipeg won its third straight, prevailing at St. Louis. Alex Iafallo, Josh Morrissey and Jonathan Toews scored for the Jets. Connor Hellebuyck made 20 saves as Winnipeg kept its faint playoff hopes alive. The loss all but guaranteed the Blues will miss the postseason. Dylan Holloway had a goal and an assist for St. Louis. Colton Parayko also scored, and Jordan Binnington made 31 stops. Kraken 4, Golden Knights 3 (SO) Rookie Berkly Catton sparked a rally from a two-goal deficit in the third period and scored the winner in the fifth round of a shootout as Seattle kept its slim postseason hopes alive with a victory against visiting Vegas. Jared McCann and Bobby McMann also scored in regulation and Vince Dunn had two assists for the Kraken, who snapped a six-game skid (0-5-1). Joey Daccord made 31 saves and stopped four of five shootout attempts. Mark Stone scored twice, Brett Howden also tallied and Adin Hill stopped 30 shots for the Golden Knights, who lost for the first time in five games under new coach John Tortorella. Vegas is tied with the Anaheim for second in the Pacific Division, both teams one point behind Edmonton. Stars 5, Wild 4 Mikko Rantanen, Wyatt Johnston and Colin Blackwell each had a goal and an assist in Dallas’ comeback win over visiting Minnesota. The game was a postseason preview, as the teams will meet in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs. Cameron Hughes scored his first career goal and Esa Lindell had two assists for the Stars. Jake Oettinger stopped 27 shots. The Wild got two goals from Kirill Kaprizov and a goal and an assist from Quinn Hughes. Ryan Hartman also scored, Mats Zuccarello had three assists, and Matt Boldy added two helpers. Filip Gustavsson made 15 saves. Kings 4, Canucks 1 Adrian Kempe scored two goals and Anton Forsberg stopped 24 of 25 shots as Los Angeles gave its playoff hopes a huge boost with a victory over visiting Vancouver. Trevor Moore and Joel Armia scored goals and Artemi Panarin had two assists for the Kings, who vaulted past the Predators in the race for the final wild-card berth in the Western Conference. Marcus Pettersson scored and Nikita Tolopilo made 22 saves for the Canucks, who lost their fourth straight game. Ducks 6, Sharks 1 John Carlson’s first career hat trick paced Anaheim to a win over visiting San Jose. Leo Carlsson, Alex Killorn and Frank Vatrano had the other goals as the Ducks snapped a six-game skid (0-5-1). Beckett Sennecke, Pavel Mintyukov, Troy Terry and Mikael Granlund chipped in a pair of helpers each, and Lukas Dostal made 18 saves. Shakir Mukhamadullin tallied and Yaroslav Askarov stopped 24 shots for the Sharks, who have dropped back-to-back games. ====================================================== WNBA WNBA APPROVES EXPANSION INTO CLEVELAND, DETROIT AND PHILADELPHIA The WNBA announced formal approval for expansion teams in Cleveland, Detroit and Philadelphia on Thursday. The move certifies those three cities, previously announced, gained authorization to join the league on their own timelines. Cleveland is set to begin play in 2028, with Detroit following in 2029 and then Philadelphia in 2030, bringing the total number of teams in the league up to 18. Just 13 teams competed in the league in 2025. Less than a week ago, the WNBA’s two previously added franchises, the Portland Fire and Toronto Tempo, held their expansion draft. “Great demand for WNBA franchises,” commissioner Cathy Engelbert said last June at a news conference announcing the growth. “There was huge demand. Really proud of what my team has done. Looking forward to future conversations as the league continues to grow.” The latest announcement comes amid a flurry of activity within the league. In addition to the expansion draft, the free agency signing period is set to begin on Saturday, with the collegiate draft occurring on Monday. The WNBA labor dispute only recently reached a positive conclusion after the league, in partnership with the Women’s National Basketball Player’s Association, officially announced on March 20 a seven-year collective bargaining agreement. After being ratified, the deal will run through the 2032 season. The revenue-sharing pact will increase the average salary to $583,000 this season and the maximum salary to $1.4 million, while providing over $1 billion in salaries and benefits over the contract. “We love this game enough to push for what it can become, not just for ourselves, but for those who built this league and those who will carry it forward,” WNBPA president Nneka Ogwumike said. ====================================================== INDIANA HEADLINES/RELEASES INDIANA HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Purdue incoming freshman Luke Ertel has been named the recipient of the 86th annual Indiana Mr. Basketball award, the Indianapolis Star announced the afternoon. Ertel becomes the first player from Mt. Vernon High School to win the award after leading the Marauders to the 2026 Indiana Class 4A state championship. Ertel also becomes the 14th Boilermaker to win the Indiana Mr. Basketball award (Joe Sexson, Wilson Eison, Dennis Brady, Billy Keller, Rick Mount, Kyle Macy, Dan Palombizio, Troy Lewis, Woody Austin, Glenn Robinson, Caleb Swanigan, Caleb Furst, Braden Smith, Luke Ertel) and the third recipient in the last six years (Caleb Furst – 2021; Braden Smith – 2022; Luke Ertel – 2026). Ertel, who was recently named third-team All-America by MaxPreps and was one of 25 finalists for the Naismith Award given to the nation’s top high school player, was a landslide winner, earning 207 or the 230 voties from the state’s coaches and media. He averaged 24.5 points, 9.9 rebounds, 6.6 assists and 1.8 steals per game, shooting over 40 percent from 3-point range. He was at his best in the postseason, recording a triple-double with 22 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists in a state finals-clinching win over New Albany, then followed it with a 26-point, 10-rebound, six-assist performance in a 52-50 win over Crown Point in the state championship game. Ertel played football into his sophomore year, but an injury that cost him most of his basketball season ended his football career and put the focus squarely on basketball. He took off from there, seeing his national recruiting ranking skyrocket into the top 40 after averaging 22.7 points, 6.4 rebounds and 4.0 assists as a junior. He then erupted in the Indiana All-Star game, scoring a junior-record 36 points in a win over the Indiana seniors last June. Ertel is part of a Purdue recruiting class that ranks seventh nationally via 247Sports, in addition to Antione West Jr., who redshirted a year ago and incoming transfer Caden Pierce, who was one of the most sought-after transfers in the country. ================================================== INDIANA PACERS The Pacers closed out their road schedule in Brooklyn as they took on a depleted Nets team on Thursday. Nineteen players between both teams were out for Thursday’s matchup as the Pacers deployed their 47th unique starting lineup this season – the second most starting lineups in the NBA. Indiana defeated the Nets soundly, 123-94, behind Obi Toppin’s season-high 26 points and Micah Potter’s double-double. The victory marks the Pacers’ 19th win this season. Despite all of the injury flux, Indiana had a strong start. Toppin scored 12 points off the Indiana bench in just six minutes as the Pacers closed the first quarter on a 27-6 run. Indiana took a 17-point advantage into the second quarter and led the Nets after one, 31-14. Brooklyn’s 14 points in the first frame marked the lowest first quarter total by a Pacers opponent all season. Indiana had doubled up Brooklyn by the seven-minute mark of the second period, 40-20, and the Pacers didn’t look back. The Nets struggled to hit shots – they hit just 31 percent of their shots from the floor, including 21 percent from deep. The Pacers were in-sync and on-rhythm throughout the first half, and knocked down 52 percent of their looks. Indiana was strong in the paint, and scored 46 paint points while grabbing 38 first-half rebounds. Toppin remained Indiana’s top scorer, and had 14 points and seven rebounds entering halftime. Toppin was one of three Pacers to grab seven or more rebounds – Potter (nine) and Jarace Walker (eight) also hit the boards hard. No Nets reached double figures in the first half, and E.J. Liddell led Brooklyn with eight points. The Pacers entered the halftime break with a 26-point advantage, 63-37. Brooklyn’s 37 points are the fewest Indiana has allowed in the first half this season by a margin of five points. The Nets showed some fight in the third quarter, and whittled the lead down to 18 points near the midpoint of the period. Ethan Thompson responded with a swat that he tossed down the court to a waiting Toppin, who dropped it in the bucket for two. Toppin showed off his own passing skills later in the third as he caught a hit-ahead pass from Quenton Jackson, but instead of throwing down a fastbreak dunk, bounced the ball behind himself back to Jackson. Jackson completed the slam, and Indiana closed the third quarter leading by 26 points, 98-72. The Pacers led by 30 points early in the fourth quarter, and closed out the Nets without much trouble, 123-94. Indiana led by as many as 32 points in the effort, and grabbed a new season-high 66 rebounds. Toppin and Liddell each scored 26 points to lead their respective teams. Toppin also notched nine rebounds and three assists for the Pacers. Seven Pacers reached double-figure scoring totals, including Potter, who contributed an 18-point, 14-rebound double-double. The Pacers return to Gainbridge Fieldhouse for their final two games of the year as they host Philadelphia on Friday and Detroit on Sunday to conclude the regular season. Inside the Numbers Indiana grabbed 38 rebounds in the first half. That’s more rebounds than they’ve grabbed in 18 total games this season. The Pacers recorded a season-high 66 rebounds, surpassing their previous season-high of 56 rebounds set against Brooklyn in November. Obi Toppin recorded a season-high 26 points. Indiana recorded 40+ assists for the second time this season with 43 assists in Brooklyn. ========================================================== INDIANS BASEBALL INDIANAPOLIS – Esmerlyn Valdez launched his second home run in as many days and third of the season as the Indianapolis Indians lost to the Louisville Bats on Thursday night at Victory Field, 5-1. The Bats (6-6) jumped out to a lead in the second inning with a three-run homer by former Indians batter Michael Chavis and never looked back, tacking on one in the third and one in the fifth for the victory. All runs came against Nick Dombkowski (L, 0-1), who tossed 4.2 innings. Valdez’ homer to extend his on-base streak to 12 consecutive games served as the lone blemish on Davis Daniel’s (W, 1-1) line. Lyon Richardson and Trevor Kuncl closed the door for the Bats, while Jarod Bayless and Beau Burrows worked 4.1 scoreless innings for the Indians (3-9) to end the game. The Indians will look to knot the series at two games apiece on Friday night at 6:35 PM to begin Prospects Weekend presented by Hoosier Lottery. RHP Antwone Kelly (0-2, 13.50) will take the mound for Indy against RHP Darren McCaughan (1-1, 13.50). ========================================================== INDY ELEVEN Indianapolis (Apr. 9, 2026) – Indy Eleven has signed midfielder Mohamed Omar, pending league and federation approval. Per club policy, terms of the deal will not be disclosed. Fans can follow team news on Indy Eleven social channels and IndyEleven.com. The 6’3 Omar started all four matches for the Somalia National Team in its 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers in October at Algeria and vs. Mozambique and in March vs. Guinea and at Botswana. Omar played eight matches for the Ocean Stars in 2025, scoring his first Senior Team international goal in a friendly at Bahrain in November. The 27-year-old Omar played the past two seasons in the USL Championship for San Antonio FC, scoring his first professional goal against Colorado Springs Switchbacks last April. In 2025, he started nine of 14 matches, recording five shots, two chances created, and 23 fouls won in 961 minutes. The Notre Dame grad had 10 fouls won, two shots, and two chances created for SAFC in 2024 in 384 minutes. Omar made 44 total appearances for the HFX Wanderers in the Canadian Premier League in 2022 and 2023. He was an assistant captain in 2023, leading the CPL in passing accuracy (89.4) and helping his team reach the playoffs. The Toronto, Ontario, native was selected in the first round of the 2022 MLS SuperDraft by the Colorado Rapids, 23rd overall. Omar served as a captain for Notre Dame’s 2021 team that earned the second NCAA College Cup appearance in school history, falling to eventual champion Clemson in penalty kicks in the semifinal. He started 23 matches that season, recording season bests in goals (4), assists (1), and points (9), scoring a goal in the NCAA Round of 16 win over Wake Forest. He played as a central midfielder for a defense that recorded six consecutive clean sheets in the postseason, including four straight to win the ACC Championship. He trained with the U20 Canadian National Team in 2018 as a 19-year-old. He grew up playing with Indy Eleven midfielder Noble Okello at Toronto FC Academy. Omar attended prep school at Berkshire School in Sheffield, Mass., where he also played basketball and ran track. Indy Eleven continues its three-match homestand Saturday at 7 p.m. at Carroll Stadium vs. Monterey Bay FC in the annual “Kick for a Cause” game. Susan G. Komen®, the world’s leading breast cancer organization, is the spotlight partner. The match is part of the 2026 Scarf Series, so fans can purchase a ticket + knit scarf here. Ticket options available include Family Four-Packs, pro-rated Season Tickets, and Flex Mini-Plans. The Family Four-Pack is available for all 2026 home games and it can be purchased online only. Priced at just $49, the Family Four-Pack includes four tickets, FREE parking, $20 in Concession Vouchers, and a 20% Merchandise Discount, along with access to the Fun Zone/Kids Activation Area. Season Ticket Benefits (starting at $13.50 per game) include Season Parking Pass, unlimited ticket exchanges, and a 20% discount on all Indy Eleven merchandise. Flex Mini Plans include vouchers to be redeemed for any 2026 regular season home match. For questions, call (317) 685-1100 during business hours or email tickets@indyeleven.com. Indy Eleven Roster (4/9/26) Goalkeepers (3): Reice Charles-Cook, Eric Dick, Ryan Hunsucker Defenders (9): Hesron Barry, Paco Craig, Anthony Herbert, Pat Hogan, Alejandro Mitrano, Josh O’Brien, Makel Rasheed, Mikah Thomas, Hayden White Midfielders (7): Jack Blake, Allen Gavilanes, Cam Lindley, Logan Neidlinger, Noble Okello, Mohamed Omar, Aodhan Quinn Forwards (6): Edward Kizza, Loic Mesanvi, Bruno Rendon, Charlie Sharp, Dylan Sing, Kian Williams ======================================================== INDY IGNITE SAN DIEGO (April 9, 2026) – They did it the hard way, but the Indy Ignite are the first team to clinch a spot in the 2026 Major League Volleyball postseason. The Ignite came from behind to win a five-setter at San Diego and lock up a playoff berth with a quarter of the regular season still remaining. At 17-4, Indy for the second straight year is guaranteed to be among the four teams advancing to the MLV Championship. Comerica Center in Frisco, Texas, home of the Dallas Pulse, plays host on May 7 and 9, with the winning team earning a $1 million bonus. “We definitely want to go to Dallas, so now we are and that is important,” said Ignite head coach Lauren Bertolacci, who in her first year with the Ignite has directed the team that has led the league all season. “Like I’ve said a million times, anything can happen in that kind of (playoff) format, but you’ve got to be there to make it happen. Winning breeds winning and we want to keep winning.” The Ignite figured a way to win at San Diego but it wasn’t without many tense moments. Set scores were 25-20, 19-25, 22-25, 25-19 and 15-9 in just the third five-set match of the season for Indy. It was also the team’s first victory in four all-time visits to Viejas Arena and took nearly every available player to pull out the playoff-sealing triumph. And on this dramatic night, everyone who played made significant contributions. Opposite hitter Azhani Tealer led the way in scoring with 22 kills (one off her season high), hitting at a 45.8 percent kill percentage on 33.3 percent efficiency. Outside hitter Kayla Lund added 14 kills and set an Ignite season high with 26 digs. Setter Mia Tuaniga racked up 56 assists, 16 digs, six kills and a pair of key service aces in the fifth set. Libero Elena Scott tied her season best with 20 digs, had seven assists and made her usual assortment of magical passes and saves. The list goes on. Middle blocker Cara Cresse contributed eight kills and three blocks. Fellow middle Lydia Martyn, playing for the first time in four matches while recovering from a foot injury, helped ignite the comeback with four kills and three blocks in the last two sets. Outside hitter Leketor Member-Meneh left the match after colliding with Tuaniga early in the third set, joining outside hitter Anna DeBeer, who was ruled out just before the match with a back injury. Emoni Bush replaced Member-Meneh and added a spark with three kills and three digs. Taylor Landfair took over for Bush in the last two sets and came up big with seven kills, five digs and a block. “I just wanted to take advantage of my opportunity,” Landfair said, “just because every opportunity is something new or something different. It’s really cool that I get to be able to play in this league and try to make sure that when I go into the game to just to go for it.” It was a true total team effort on this night worth celebrating. “We had to use people that maybe haven’t played as much,” Bertolacci said. “We had an injury before the match and an injury during the match. I’m really so happy and proud – and not surprised at all – to see that the bench is really deep and able to come in, and in Taylor’s case change the game around for us and really have a positive impact. That’s something that we’re just going to need as we get into the playoffs. You never know what kind of happens, so we want to have everybody on our team ready. We’ve always talked about being 15 deep and we are, so we’re happy.” Tealer is among seven Ignite players who were also on the team last season when they reached the championship match before falling. She’s eager for another shot at winning it all. “It’s exciting. It’s really cool to see the program keep getting better and better,” Tealer said. “We want to be there and now whatever happens happens, but it’s a really cool feeling to know that we’re right in. So, it’s good.” Tickets for the 2026 MLV Championship are on sale now via the TicketMaster website. Prices start at just $19 and provide access to both the semifinal and championship rounds. For more information, visit ProVolleyball.com In the meantime, the Ignite continue their quest to lock up the top seed for the playoffs in their remaining seven matches. First up is Sunday, when the Atlanta Vibe visit Fishers Event Center at 3 p.m. ET for the Blue Out for Kids match. For ticket and more information, visit IndyIgniteVB.com. ====================================================== INDIANA BASEBALL BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – The first road weekend of April will send the Indiana Baseball team (13-19, 5-10 B1G) out east for a three-game set with Maryland. It will be a chance to climb the standings ahead of its scheduled non-conference bye week against Abilene Christian. The Hoosiers have won a pair of Big Ten series but are still searching for their first road win in league play. A midweek win over Ball State on Tuesday was another step in the right direction. The bullpen provided a big spark with 8.1 innings of scoreless baseball. A late RBI single from sophomore third baseman Will Moore gave IU some insurance in the victory. The Hoosiers are off to a 3-1 start in the month of April. Success in College Park will be driven by the top three guys in the lineup. Sophomore outfielders Hogan Denny and Caleb Koskie have joined forces with sophomore first baseman Jake Hanley at the top of the order. Denny’s .455 on-base percentage is especially potent in his move to the leadoff spot. He sets the table for a group that is starting to hit the ball well over the last couple of weeks. Graduate student left-handed pitcher Tony Neubeck will get the ball on Friday night to start the series. He’s been virtually untouchable in three home starts (18.0 IP, 4 ER, 25 K) during league play and will look to carry that on the road this weekend. After a great bullpen game on Tuesday, IU should have most of its pitching lined up to attack the Terrapins. Great weather is expected all weekend with hopes to stick to a traditional game schedule. First pitch on Friday evening is scheduled for 6 p.m. Saturday will begin at 2 p.m. The Big Ten Network has picked up Sunday’s contest and it will air at Noon to a national audience. Gameday Info vs. Maryland (Friday, April 10th – 6 p.m. ET) Live Video: bit.ly/4mkNl9B Live Audio: bit.ly/IUAudio Live Stats: bit.ly/46VZA6j vs. Maryland (Saturday, April 11th – 2 p.m. ET) Live Video: bit.ly/3Ot6RUT Live Audio: bit.ly/IUAudio Live Stats: bit.ly/46VZA6j vs. Maryland (Sunday, April 12th – Noon ET) Live Video: bit.ly/3Pds0Cw Live Audio: bit.ly/IUAudio Live Stats: bit.ly/46VZA6j Probable Starters Indiana at Maryland • Friday: LHP Tony Neubeck, Gr. (3-3, 3.79 ERA) • Saturday: RHP Reagan Rivera, Gr. (0-3, 8.36 ERA) • Sunday: LHP Brayton Thomas, So. (1-2, 4.35 ERA) (subject to change with any weather changes) Leading Off KOSKIE RAKES: Sophomore outfielder Caleb Koskie is riding a team best 13-game hitting streak into this week’s action. That stretch includes a four-hit day last Saturday against Rutgers, the first of his career. He is one of three Hoosiers with a batting average north of .340 this year. FRY GUY: Freshman second baseman Landen Fry is also enjoying a nice run of form heading into the weekend in College Park. He has a career long seven-game hitting streak and has continued to slide up the order. He is fourth on the team with nine multi-hit efforts this year. STARTERS ARE HOT: Last weekend against Rutgers, IU got some of the best starting pitching it has seen in a long time. The three starters combined for 16.2 innings of work and allowed just three runs. The trio added a collection of 18 strikeouts while all working into at least the fifth inning. BIG BULLPEN: At the same time, IU’s bullpen stepped up in a big way to beat Ball State on Tuesday. Five pitchers combined for 8.1 scoreless innings in relief. That was led by freshman right-handed pitcher Ivan Mastalski who scattered just three hits over 3.1 frames of shutout baseball. BIG MATCHUPS: These two teams have been regulars against each other. Since Maryland joined the Big Ten (2014-15), this will be the ninth conference weekend against each other. When IU’s season is wrapped up, it will have only played one team (10 – Illinois) more than that in the same span. JUST JAKE: Sophomore first baseman Jake Hanley has started 88-straight games since arriving on campus. Only Dustin DeMuth (102 – 2011-12) has begun their career with more consecutive starts since the 2010 season. Hanley has collected 118 hits in that stretch of play as well. COOP HOLDS IT DOWN: Sophomore shortstop Cooper Malamazian has been a mainstay in IU’s lineup the last two years. He’s played in 87 of 88 possible games during his time on campus. He’s got 89 base knocks in his career and is closing in on reaching 100 hits. TOUGH TONY: Graduate student left-handed pitcher Tony Neubeck has settled in as IU’s ace this season. In five Big Ten starts this year, he’s collected 34 strikeouts to just seven walks. He’s produced three quality starts in conference play this year and is back in his natural Friday role. SENSATIONAL SOPHS: The Hoosiers regularly start seven position players that all came from the same recruiting class in 2024. That group played together as freshmen and is now a big part of what IU is doing offensively. Seven of the eight team leaders in hits are from that same recruiting class. GET WILL GOING: Sophomore third baseman Will Moore is looking to pick his 2025 form back up as the second half gets underway. He’s collected a team-high 29 free passes this season and has his on-base percentage back up over .400 on the year. Scouting the Opponent Maryland • The Terrapins are in the same spot as the Hoosiers as they look to dig out of an early hole in Big Ten play. Maryland is just 2-10 in conference action after getting swept by UCLA and Ohio State. It has picked up a win in each series against Purdue and USC. • Finding depth on the mound has been a tough thing for Maryland. It is expected that the Terrapins will change up their rotation this weekend. Redshirt sophomore left-handed pitcher Evan Smith has a 7.43 ERA over 23.0 innings of action. Sophomore right-handed pitcher Logan Hastings has been a go-to reliever for Maryland. • Junior utilityman Brayden Martin has been fantastic at the top of Maryland’s order. He’s hitting .368 with 49 base knocks this year. Redshirt freshman first baseman Ryan Costello has provided the thump with 13 home runs and 42 RBIs. Redshirt sophomore outfielder Jordan Crosland has eight home runs and 27 RBIs. Inside the Series Maryland • It seems like these two teams have played every year since Maryland joined the Big Ten ahead of the 2015 season. This will be the sixth weekend in seven full conference campaigns under head coach Jeff Mercer. IU and Maryland are meeting for the ninth time in a weekend series since the Terrapins made the jump to the conference. • After getting swept in Bloomington in 2023, IU has responded by winning series in 2024 and 2025. The Hoosiers have put up 10+ runs in three of the last six games between the two sides. ================================================================= PURDUE SOFTBALL WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – The Boilers head to Bloomington to take on rival Indiana for a three-game Big Ten series this upcoming weekend. Purdue will be on the road for back-to-back weeks, taking on Rutgers the week after from Apr. 17-19. Purdue will face Indiana for the first time since May of 2025 where the Hoosiers took the series 2-1 in West Lafayette. Both schools have a similar record on the year, with Purdue being 26-12, and Indiana at 28-10. The Boilers are on record watch this weekend with a few different categories including: runs scored, home runs, and RBI. Purdue looks to etch this year’s team into the single-season standings of each category. SCOUTING THE OPPONENTS Indiana comes into the series with two more wins than Purdue, including one more conference victory. The Hoosiers are led by Aly VanBrandt and Avery Parker who are both batting above .400 on the season so far. A year ago, the Hoosiers earned an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament, earning a lone victory against Saint Louis in the Fayetteville Regional, while falling twice to Oklahoma State. SERIES HISTORY Purdue and Indiana are tied 35-35 in the all time series over the 70 games played between the in-state rivals. Most recently, Indiana took the 2-1 series victory over Purdue in 2025. The first matchup between the teams was over 30 years ago, back in 1994, where the Hoosiers took a 4-0 shutout victory over Purdue during the early season. For updates on Purdue Softball, follow the Boilermakers on Twitter (@PurdueSoftball), Instagram (@purduesoftball), and Facebook (Purdue Softball). ================================================================== PURDUE BASEBALL GAMEDAY INFORMATION Purdue (22-10, 9-6 Big Ten) at Northwestern (13-15-1, 5-7 Big Ten) April 10-12 / Stream B1G+ Series Opener: Friday, April 10 at 4 p.m. ET Middle Game: Saturday, April 11 at 2 p.m. ET Series Finale: Sunday, April 12 at 2 p.m. ET Rocky & Berenice Miller Park / Evanston, Illinois PROBABLE PITCHING MATCHUPS Friday: Cole Van Assen (Jr, RHP) vs. NU’s Jake Rifenburg (Fr, LHP) Saturday: Zach Erdman (Sr, LHP) vs Matt Kouser (So, RHP) Sunday: TBA for Both Teams SERIES HISTORY All-Time: Purdue leads 126-95-2 All-Time in Evanston: Purdue leads 58-50-1 2025: Purdue won 2 of 3 (May 2-3 in West Lafayette) Last Series in Chicagoland: Purdue swept a 3-game set (April 26-28; G1 at Wrigley, G2 & G3 in Evanston) First Meeting: Northwestern 10, Purdue 3 (May 1900 in Evanston) WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Purdue Baseball rides a pair of streaks featuring series wins into the second half of the Big Ten Conference season as the Boilermakers make their biennial trip to Chicagoland for a three-game set at Northwestern. First pitch at Rocky and Berenice Miller Park in Evanston is set for 4 p.m. ET on Friday, 2 p.m. ET on Saturday and Sunday. Miller Park is the lone remaining stadium in the Big Ten that does not feature lights. The Boilermakers have won four straight series in Big Ten play for the fifth time in team history (since 1981 when the league began playing four- and later three-game conference weekends). Meanwhile, Purdue has won its last six series vs. Northwestern dating back to 2018. That matches the longest series win streak against any conference rival. The Boilermakers close out their stretch of seven consecutive games vs. teams from the Land of Lincoln this weekend. They went 3-1 vs. Illinois and Bradley during the mini four-game homestand at Alexander Field. Purdue’s seven Illinois natives – including six from Chicagoland – return to their home state this weekend. That’s a group headlined by the battery on Fridays this season – pitcher Cole Van Assen (Tinley Park) and catcher Jackson Bessette (Bartlett). Nick Kolze (Romeoville), Brandon Rogers (Chicago), Trey Swiderski (Joliet), Lucas Grant (Joliet) and Charlie Vercruysse (Bloomington) area also Illinois natives. Purdue and Northwestern share a number of common opponents going back to both teams opening their seasons in the Houston area – the Wildcats beginning their campaign with a series at Rice while the Boilermakers were playing in suburban Sugar Land. Purdue also played Rice for its midweek opener before departing the Houston area. In recent weeks, Purdue and Northwestern both have series wins vs. Michigan State – each rallying to take the series after losing Friday – plus midweek victories vs. Valparaiso and UIC. Both lineups erupted in midweek wins this week, the Boilers scoring 13 in Tuesday vs. Bradley and the Wildcats putting up 15 in Wednesday at UIC (in seven innings). Northwestern has played arguably the toughest Big Ten schedule thus far, drawing an undefeated USC team as its opening opponent and then playing both Oregon and Washington on the same West Coast road trip. The Wildcats were able to avoid the sweep in all three series. They also played a series at Georgia Tech, which is currently ranked top five nationally and leading the Atlantic Coast Conference. Northwestern is certainly battle tested going into its third home weekend. WEEKEND #6 OF BIG TEN PLAY • Purdue (9-6) at Northwestern (5-7) • Penn State (3-9) at Ohio State (7-5) • Nebraska (11-1) at Oregon (8-4) • Iowa (5-7) at USC (10-5) • Indiana (5-10) at Maryland (2-10) • Michigan (5-7) at Michigan State (5-10) • UCLA (15-0) at Rutgers (5-7) • Washington (6-6) at Minnesota (3-9) • New Orleans at Illinois (7-8) – Non-Conference Purdue’s last trip to Northwestern featured a memorable series-opening win at Wrigley Field. All 10 of the Boilermakers hits that night were singles. After the series shifted to Evanston, Purdue erupted for nine home runs over the final two games. Last year at Alexander Field, it was the Wildcats that won the series opener thanks to a six-run seventh inning that helped them overcome a 6-1 deficit. Purdue had to stave off a pair of late rallies by NU while sweeping a Saturday doubleheader – extending their streak of series victories in the process. Van Assen shined against Northwestern last year, working seven shutout innings in the game 2 win. He struck out six and did not issue a walk in his finest outing as a Boilermaker. Aaron Manias (4-for-9, 2B, HR, BB, 4 RBI) and CJ Richmond (5-for-12, 2B, 3B, 4 RBI, 3 R) helped lead the way offensively in the series win. Richmond’s next home run will be the 30th of his NCAA career (12 coming at Purdue). ACTIVE STREAKS • Sam Flores – 11-game hit; 7-game hit in Big Ten play …Flores’ 11-game hit streak: .457/.537/.739 (21-for-46), 4 2B, 3 HR, 7 BB, HBP, 19 RBI, 18 R, 3 SB • Aaron Manias – 10-game on-base; 7-game on-base in Big Ten play • Avery Moore – 7-game on-base; 7-game on-base in Big Ten play • Dylan Drake – 6-game on-base; 5-game on-base in Big Ten play • Eli Anderson – 5-game hit in Big Ten play BOILERMAKERS AMONG THE TOP 10 IN THE BIG TEN • Trevor Kester-Johnson – 1st in Appearances (21); Also 1st Nationally • Aaron Manias – 2nd in OBP (.526), 3rd in HBP (10), 5th in OPS (1.145), 7th in Avg (.381) • Sam Flores – 2nd in Hits (51), 2nd in Avg (.395), 4th in Total Bases (86), 5th in Doubles (11), 6th in RBI (38), 6th in Runs (35), 6th in SLUG (.667), 8th in OPS (1.132) • Eli Anderson – 4th in Steals (12) • Jake Kramer – T-5th in Saves (5), T-5th in Appearances (16) • Westin Boyle – T-5th in Triples (2), T-5th in Sac Bunts (4) • Dylan Drake – T-5th in Triples (2) • Cole Van Assen – 10th in Fewest Walks per 9 Innings (2.6) HOWARD’S 2-APPEARANCE WEEKENDS (Combined Stats) • April 3-5 vs Illinois: Win, 6 IP, 7 H, R, 5 BB, 4 K, 106 Pitches • March 27-29 at Michigan State: Win, 4 1/3 IP, 4 H, R, BB, K, 46 Pitches • March 20-22 vs Penn State: 4 2/3 IP, 5 H, ER, BB, 2 K, 70 Pitches • March 13-15 at Maryland: Win, 2 2/3 IP, 3 H, 4 R, 2 BB, 2 K, 55 Pitches • Feb. 13-15 vs Portland: Win, 3 IP, H, 0 R, 3 BB, 2 K, 72 Pitches ===================================================== NOTRE DAME BASEBALL SOUTH BEND, Ind. – The Notre Dame baseball team is set to host No. 13 Virginia for a three-game ACC series beginning on Friday at 5:30 p.m. ET at Frank Eck Stadium. DateTime (ET)OpponentLocationProbable StartersBroadcastApr. 105:30 PMVirginiaJake Kline Field – Frank Eck StadiumRHP Xavier Hirsch vs. LHP Kyle JohnsonACCNXApr. 112:00 PMVirginiaJake Kline Field – Frank Eck StadiumRHP Jack Radel vs. LHP Max StammelACCNXApr. 121:00 PMVirginiaJake Kline Field – Frank Eck StadiumTBA vs. TBAACCNX THE MATCHUP The Irish hold a 12-11 edge in the all-time series between the two teams. Notre Dame is home for just their third ACC series of the year. The Irish are coming off a series loss at NC State most recently in ACC action. The Cavaliers suffered a series loss against No. 7 Florida State over the weekend. LAST TIME OUT Notre Dame was stopped short at home against Michigan State on Wednesday night. Drew Berkland drove in two runs on two sacrifice hits, and Noah Coy drove in a run in a 7-4 setback against the Spartans. Chase Van Ameyde shouldered the decision on the mound. Dylan Singleton had four strikeouts in 3.0 innings of work in relief. .300+The Irish have six players hitting .300 or above, led by Noah Coy’s 363 batting average.100John P. and Catherine Murphy Head Baseball Coach Shawn Stiffler is the seventh coach in program history to amass 100+ wins at the helm of the program.38Jack Radel retired 38 consecutive batters spanning from the third inning against FAU to the sixth inning against Alabama A&M.16The team features 16 returners from the 2025 Notre Dame squad that put together a 16-2 record to close out the regular season last spring.12The Irish collected 12 two-out RBIs in their series win at Duke.12The squad features 12 true freshmen. Six of those 12 were ranked among the top two recruits in the Class of 2025 at their respective positions in their states.10Notre Dame scored 10 runs with two grand slams before recording an out in the 14-11 Friday win at Louisville.9Caden Crowell was ranked as No. 9 on the D1Baseball Freshman Impact List for 2026.7Seven transfer student-athletes joined the Irish for the 2026 season, including five graduate student-athletes.6.0Jack Radel threw 6.0 perfect innings with nine strikeouts on just 68 pitches against UCF.6The Irish have six players listed in the D1baseball.com Preseason rankings by position. Bino Watters (No. 19 first baseman), Jack Radel (No. 29 starting pitcher), Mark Quatrani (No. 49 catcher), Drew Berkland (No. 63 outfielder), Oisin Lee (No. 74 relief pitcher) and Davis Johnson (No. 132 outfielder).0.82Jack Radel’s 0.82 WHIP ranks ninth in the nation. TOP TALENT The Irish have six players listed in the D1baseball.com Preseason rankings by position. Sophomore Bino Watters was the 17th ranked first baseman. Junior Jack Radel was 29th on the starting pitchers list. Junior Mark Quatrani was 49th on the catchers list. Graduate student Drew Berkland was 63rd on the outfielders report. Sophomore Oisin Lee came in at 74th on the relief pitchers list. Junior Davis Johnson was listed at 132nd in the outfielder rankings. Additionally, Notre Dame had representation on the D1Baseball Impact Freshman List as Caden Crowell came in at No. 9 on the ranking. ========================================================== NOTRE DAME SOFTBALL SOUTH BEND, Ind. – The University of Notre Dame softball team is back in action this weekend, hosting Louisville for a three-game series starting Friday, April 10th at 5:00 p.m. at Melissa Cook Stadium. This weekend also marks the program’s annual Strikeout Cancer Weekend. Since 2011, Irish softball has hosted our Strikeout Cancer weekend, raising funds to assist local families with a child battling this terrible disease. With a trivia night, a silent auction, as well as other promotions, the program strives to raise funds to support the children and families and make their days a little brighter. Whether it’s paying for lodging for a family while their child gets chemotherapy, sending children on “Wish” trips, purchasing a therapy dog for a child, or funding a playroom at Beacon Children’s Hospital, the funds are used to directly impact the children and their families in a real, tangible way. More information can be found here: https://fundraise.givesmart.com/vf/Strikeout Notre Dame is 29-20 all-time against Louisville, including a 12-8 clip in South Bend. The Irish have won six of the last nine matchups between the two programs. During last year’s 3-2 win over the Cardinals on March 8, 2025, junior Kami Kamzik tossed a complete game winning effort, striking out nine while allowing just a pair of runs. In her four-year career, senior Mickey Winchell is hitting .400 against Louisville (6-of-15). Admission is free to all Notre Dame regular season softball games at Melissa Cook Stadium. The Irish play 11 of their final 15 games at home this season. ======================================================== BUTLER BASEBALL INDIANAPOLIS – Butler will welcome the UConn Huskies to Bulldog Park this weekend for a three-game BIG EAST Series. Game one is slated for Friday, April 10, with first pitch scheduled for 3 p.m. GAMEDAY INFORMATION DATES: April 10, 11, 12 GAME TIME: Friday – 3PM, Saturday – 2PM, Sunday – 1PM LOCATION: Indianapolis, Ind. LIVE STATS: Butlersports.com ABOUT THE BULLDOGS Butler (12-20, 3-0 BIG EAST) is coming off a 14-12 midweek victory over Southern Indiana on Tuesday afternoon. Butler came back from being down 10-2 with the help of a grand slam from Danny Gavin in the seventh inning. The Bulldogs have won seven of their last eight games dating back to March 24. On Monday, Brock Buckley Buckley was named the BIG EAST Pitcher of the Week. Buckley dominated on the mound for the Dawgs; the senior tossed eight innings, allowing only one hit and no runs against Villanova in the Bulldogs’ BIG EAST opening series. Buckley grabbed seven strikeouts in the 10-1 victory on Saturday and this is the second honor of the season for the senior after earning a spot on the honor roll last week. Gavin Gilmore earned a spot on the BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll on Monday. Gilmore was spectacular for Butler in the weekend sweep over Villanova. Gilmore batted .500 with a 1.214 slugging percentage as the junior tallied seven hits, four runs scored, a double, three home runs, eight RBIs and a walk. Matthew Rhoades ranks fifth nationally in home runs (17), 14th nationally in total bases (98) and is 22nd nationally in slugging percentage (.784). The junior leads the team in RBIs (32) and runs (35). Gilmore leads Butler at the dish, slashing .316/.530/.904 in 28 games this season. The junior leads the team in doubles (8) and triples (1). Buckley leads Butler on the mound, in 10 appearances (eight starts), Buckley has posted a 4.96 ERA and a 1.41 WHIP. The senior leads Butler with 44 strikeouts on the season. Logan Crock was named to the Brooks Wallace Award Watchlist earlier this season. The award honors the nation’s top shortstop and will be presented by the College Baseball Foundation later this year. The top 100 shortstops in the country made the list, which featured Butler shortstop Crock. The sophomore has had a solid start to 2026, slashing .281/.427/.810 in 26 games for the Dawgs. Crock has 22 hits, four doubles, two homers and 16 RBIs to his credit. In 2025, Butler saw Jack Moroknek get drafted in the 11th round by the Washington Nationals. Moroknek led the team in hits (81), batting average (.372), total bases (153), RBIs (57), home runs (18), runs scored (57), slugging percentage (.702) and OPS (1.145) while posting one of the best individual seasons in Butler history. Moroknek was the first Bulldog drafted since Ryan Pepiot was taken in the third round of the 2019 MLB Draft. Head Coach Blake Beemer is in his fourth season at the helm of the Bulldogs. Beemer helped coach back-to-back BIG EAST Freshman of the Year winners Joey Urban (2023) and Kade Lewis (2024) in his first two seasons with the Bulldogs. Beemer played a pivotal role in developing Jack Moroknek who earned All-BIG EAST second team honors a season ago before being selected by the Washington Nationals in the 2025 MLB Draft. SCOUTING UCONN UConn (18-16, 4-2 BIG EAST) is coming off a 6-2 midweek victory over Bryant. Last weekend, the Huskies hosted Creighton and took two of the three games in the series. Chris Polemeni leads UConn at the dish, hitting .364 on the season. Polemeni has 31 runs, 40 hits, six doubles and five home runs to his credit to go with 18 RBIs. Greg Shaw III paces UConn on the mound, boasting a 2.03 ERA and a 4-0 record in 12 appearances. Shaw III has 24 strikeouts to his credit on the season. UP NEXT The Bulldogs will return to action on Tuesday, April 14, as the Bulldogs host Ball State at Bulldog Park. First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m. and a link to live stats will be available on Butlersports.com. ============================================================== BALL STATE MEN’S VOLLEYBALL MUNCIE, Ind. – The seventh-ranked Ball State men’s volleyball team found itself in a five-set thriller Thursday evening, but ultimately fell to No. 16 Lewis (25-21, 23-25, 25-17, 20-25, 16-1), giving the program its first blemish inside Worthen Arena and evening the season series. The Cardinals (21-4, 12-3 MIVA) now share the top position in the Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association standings with Loyola Chicago, making Saturday’s contest a battle for the league’s regular season championship. In a competitive fifth set, which featured eight tied scored and three lead changes, the two teams battled back and forth to a 16-16 tie. The Flyers (16-12, 8-7 MIVA) would go onto score two straight critical points off a kill and an ace to put the match to rest. Ball State’s offense hit .331 on the night, led by a 21-kill performance from outside Patrick Rogers. Ryan Louis added 18 kills along with a career-high four service aces, while Wil Basilio and Braydon Savitski-Lynde contributed eight kills each. Setter Lucas Machado guided the attack with 52 total assists, the second-highest total of his career. With his total, Machado moves up to eighth in the Ball State record book, capturing 2,335 in his career so far. Machado also finished the night with 14 digs and a pair of blocks. Leading the defense for the Cardinals was libero Victor Scherer, who recorded a season-best 19 digs, and Louis who paced the team at the net with four blocks. The Cardinals maintained control through the early stages, winning the first set 25-21 and dominating the third 25-17 while hitting an efficient .400. Lewis found life in the fourth, hitting .387 to force the deciding fifth set. Ball State will attempt to shake off the blemish as it closes its regular season April 11 when it hosts the Ramblers in a regular season championship showdown at 4 p.m. ====================================================== INDIANA STATE SOFTBALL TERRE HAUTE, Ind.- Indiana State returns to Missouri Valley Conference play this weekend as the Sycamores travel to Normal, Ill., for a three-game series against Illinois State at Marian Kneer Stadium. The Sycamores looking to build momentum as the second half of Valley play begins. Indiana State enters the weekend following a challenging stretch at home against Southern Illinois, where the Sycamores dropped three games but continued to show offensive growth. ISU recorded 25 hits across the series, including multi-hit performances from Madison Poulson, Mallory Chavez, and Morgan Goodrich, while the Sycamores produced multiple-run innings in each of the final two games. Indiana State’s lineup also saw contributions from its younger players, with Addie Burns, Ireland Riley, and Bella Pusateri all factoring into scoring innings during the homestand. Illinois State enters the weekend on a high note after sweeping UIC in a midweek doubleheader in Chicago. The Redbirds took both games behind strong pitching and timely offense, allowing just three total runs across the twinbill. The Redbirds return home with renewed momentum and an 11-5 MVC record at Marian Kneer Stadium this season. The Sycamores and Redbirds last met in 2025, with Indiana State taking the win behind strong pitching and late-inning execution. This year’s matchup again carries weight in the conference race, as both teams look to climb the standings with a month remaining in the regular season. Indiana State and Illinois State open the series with a doubleheader Friday afternoon, with first pitch scheduled for 3 p.m. ET. The teams will continue the series Saturday in Normal. ========================================================== BALL STATE BASEBALL The Ball State baseball team returns to Mid-American Conference play when it hosts Akron for three games starting at 3 p.m. on Friday. Subsequent games are scheduled for 1 p.m. on both Saturday and Sunday, and each game will be broadcast on WMUN 92.5 FM / 1340 AM and streamed on the WMUN Facebook page. Links to the video and radio broadcasts and live stats can be found above and on the schedule page. The Cardinals (16-16, 10-5 MAC) beat Manchester 18-5 on Wednesday afternoon largely thanks to a trio of big offensive innings including four runs in the first and sixth and nine runs in the fourth frame. The Zips (14-18, 5-10 MAC) beat West Virginia Wesleyan 14-4 in seven innings on Tuesday afternoon and fell 12-7 at Kent State on Wednesday night in midweek action after being swept in a three-game set at Bowling Green last weekend. Head coach Bryan Faulds is in his third season in charge of the program that was picked to finish 10th in the 12-team MAC preseason poll. The Zips utilize small ball to the tune of a conference-best 90 stolen bases (No. 10 in NCAA Division I), and they rank second in the league in sacrifice bunts (22, No. 27 nationally) and walks (184, No. 30). Akron has turned the most double plays in the MAC (25) so far this year. Redshirt junior Tucker Biehl’s 10 sac bunts are the most in all of Division I. Freshman Blake Bowen has the second-most walks in the MAC (36) and sixth-most nationally. After this weekend, Ball State’s next scheduled game is Tuesday afternoon at Butler. HUEBNER ON A HEATER: Sophomore Brayden Huebner has hit a home run in three straight games including two last Saturday at Miami (Ohio). The Evansville, Ind., native went 4-for-4 with four RBI and five runs scored in the 18-5 win over Manchester on Wednesday and boasts a .615 batting average (8-for-13) with four homers, three doubles, nine RBI and nine runs across the last three games. In the most recent eight contests, Huebner has blasted six home runs. DAVIDSON CAN DO IT: Junior Brady Davidson has posted a .444 batting average since making his Ball State debut on March 20 against Western Michigan. The utilityman out of Pleasant Prairie, Wis., went 3-for-4 on Wednesday against Manchester with a three-run homer and a double. Davidson has held down second base for the last few weeks and posted one game with two hits, three with three hits and one with five hits (March 29 vs Ohio). SEVENTH INNING STRETCH: The Ball State offense has been at its best in the seventh innings of games, scoring 43 runs total in that frame so far this season. The Cardinals have allowed 28 runs in the seventh this year for a +15 run margin, which is its second-best in any inning behind the ninth at +17 (20-3). PINCH HITTING PROWESS: Ball State pinch hitters have come through for the Cardinals at a productive rate so far this season, batting .355 (22-for-62) compared to opponents’ .182 (4-for-22) average. Jack Bakus paces the team with five pinch hits, while Tommy Landsnes, DJ Scheumann and Kenskey Thomas have each tallied three. Bakus, Scheumann and Thomas have pinch hit grand slams on the year, as Bakus hit his in the ninth inning of the March 21 comeback win at Western Michigan. HITS AND TAKING THE EXTRA BASE: Ball State enters this weekend’s series against Akron leading the MAC in hits (323), triples (10) and sacrifice flies (16) this year. The Cardinals are tied with Toledo for the most sac flies in the league, while the 10 triples are 26th-most in NCAA Division I. Senior Brett Griffiths’ four triples pace the MAC and rank eighth nationally. CHAMBERS CHARGING: Senior John Chambers was credited with a win in three straight recent appearances and kept the Cardinals in the game last Saturday at Miami. The right-handed pitcher ranks fourth in the MAC with four victories on the season and fifth at a 10.22 strikeouts per nine innings ratio. NO-NO FOR GARZA: Sophmore Brendan Garza tossed Ball State’s first no-hitter since 2019 in a 10-0 win in seven innings over Ohio on March 27 in Muncie. The right-handed pitcher struck out seven and worked around two walks and two hits batsmen on his way to the no-no, which earned him a MAC Co-Pitcher of the Week honor. John Baker and Luke Jaksich combined on a no-hitter back in May 11, 2019 which was also against the Bobcats. ========================================================== INDIANA STATE SOFTBALL TERRE HAUTE, Ind.- Indiana State returns to Missouri Valley Conference play this weekend as the Sycamores travel to Normal, Ill., for a three-game series against Illinois State at Marian Kneer Stadium. The Sycamores looking to build momentum as the second half of Valley play begins. Indiana State enters the weekend following a challenging stretch at home against Southern Illinois, where the Sycamores dropped three games but continued to show offensive growth. ISU recorded 25 hits across the series, including multi-hit performances from Madison Poulson, Mallory Chavez, and Morgan Goodrich, while the Sycamores produced multiple-run innings in each of the final two games. Indiana State’s lineup also saw contributions from its younger players, with Addie Burns, Ireland Riley, and Bella Pusateri all factoring into scoring innings during the homestand. Illinois State enters the weekend on a high note after sweeping UIC in a midweek doubleheader in Chicago. The Redbirds took both games behind strong pitching and timely offense, allowing just three total runs across the twinbill. The Redbirds return home with renewed momentum and an 11-5 MVC record at Marian Kneer Stadium this season. The Sycamores and Redbirds last met in 2025, with Indiana State taking the win behind strong pitching and late-inning execution. This year’s matchup again carries weight in the conference race, as both teams look to climb the standings with a month remaining in the regular season. Indiana State and Illinois State open the series with a doubleheader Friday afternoon, with first pitch scheduled for 3 p.m. ET. The teams will continue the series Saturday in Normal. ================================================== INDIANA STATE BASEBALL TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Indiana State heads to Normal, Ill. as the Sycamores continue Missouri Valley play this weekend with a three-game series at Duffy Bass Field against Illinois State in a key conference series. All three games will be carried live on 105.5 The Legend, while Sunday’s game will also be simulcast on ESPN+. Friday’s game is set for a 6 p.m. ET first pitch, Saturday at 4 p.m., and Sunday a 2 p.m. start, however weather in the Bloomington-Normal area may cause game time changes. Stay up-to-date on all the information by following the Indiana State social media channels. Recapping The Midweek Indiana State fell in back-to-back contests this week as the Sycamores dropped a 7-3 decision on the road at Illinois on Tuesday, before falling to visiting SIUE on Wednesday afternoon by a 17-9 score. Carter Beck (.375) and Colin Sander (.300) have been among the team’s hitting leaders on the week with three hits apiece, as well as both connecting on doubles over the pair of losses. Jaxon Sparks highlighted the week with his first collegiate home run in Wednesday’s contest against SIUE as the freshman added a career-high four RBIs against the Cougars. Caleb Niehaus and Emil Estrella also doubled over the midweek games, while Niehaus, Nick Sutherlin, and Caden Miller all scored multiple runs. The Sycamores utilized 14 different pitchers on the mound over the two midweek games in posting a 12.18 team ERA over 17.0 innings pitched. Owen Roberts, Brady Banker, Jack Armstrong, Ryan Karst, and Hunter Small all recorded shutout innings on the mound, while Trevor Fenters posted a 3.38 ERA over 2.2 innings in relief outings against both Illinois and SIUE. Season Spotlight Mason Roell (.411) has continued to power the Indiana State offensive production since joining the Sycamore lineup. The sophomore third baseman leads the team with eight home runs, while adding a team-high .836 slugging percentage and .543 on-base percentage and enters the weekend on a 10-game hitting streak. Carter Beck (.355) continues to showcase why the junior outfielder was selected the Missouri Valley Conference Preseason Player of the Year, leading the Sycamores with 17 multi-hit games and eight multi-RBI contests. He currently is on a 15-game hitting streak and has reached base safely in the last 17 games. Colin Sander’s (.351) eight-game hitting streak came to an end on Wednesday night against SIUE, but the freshman infielder has seized his opportunity to be a mainstay in the Sycamore lineup. He’s recorded four home runs and 16 RBIs, while adding three doubles, a triple, and 15 runs scored. Sander has posted a .649 slugging percentage to sit second on the team behind Roell. Nick Sutherlin (.294) continues to produce in the Sycamore lineup sitting third on the team with 31 RBIs, while tying with Carter Beck and Caden Miller with a team-high 11 doubles on the season. Emil Estrella (.285), Caleb Niehaus (.282), and Caden Miller (.271) have also been key bats in the heart of the Indiana State lineup combining for 12 home runs and 80 RBIs, while contributing 43 total extra-base hits. Indiana State’s offensive lineup continued to produce at the plate with the Sycamores sitting fourth in the NCAA in total doubles (82) and sixth in doubles per game (2.48). The pitching staff continues to be headlined by sophomore right-hander Ty Brooks as the Milford, Ind. native leads the team with a 5-1 record, 3.64 ERA, and a 35:13 strikeout-to-walk ratio over 47.0 innings. Ryan Karst (1-1) has been rounding into form over his last two starts on the mound and is coming off a 5.1-inning, 7-strikeout game in picking up the Monday win over Valparaiso and a shutout appearance in the midweek against Illinois. Karst has a 4.05 ERA over 20.0 innings while allowing opponents to hit .208 from the plate. Jack Armstrong (5.02 ERA) held down one of the weekend rotation positions early in the season and sits second on the team with 29 strikeouts over 28.2 innings, while posting an opponent batting average of .209. Colby Morse, Carson Seeman, Hunter Small, Breyllin Suriel, and Aaron Moss have also recorded wins on the mound this year, while five different Sycamores have posted saves in 2026. The Indiana State pitching staff has combined to post a 7.00 ERA over 286.2 innings while allowing opponents to hit .269 from the plate. Sycamores in Conference Play Caleb Niehaus (.538) and Mason Roell (.520) are both hitting above .500 in Missouri Valley play in the 2026 season to pace a Sycamore offense hitting .372 from the plate against Valley pitching. Mason Roell leads the team with six home runs and a 1.320 slugging percentage in conference play, while Caleb Niehaus has seven hits, a triple, and a home run while driving in seven RBIs. Carter Beck (.450) has hit safely in all nine Missouri Valley games and leads the team with 17 RBIs while connecting on four home runs and two doubles. Colin Sander (.441) and Nick Sutherlin (.436) have also hit above .400 in conference play on the year with Sander belting four home runs and driving in 15 runs, while Sutherlin has a team-high six doubles and 14 runs scored in conference competition. Emil Estrella (.310) is also hitting above .300 in MVC play with 13 RBIs and 13 runs scored. The Sycamore pitching staff has combined for a 6.60 ERA in conference competition over 75.0 innings. Carson Seeman (2-0, 3.12 ERA) has been effective in extended relief over the weekends with a 10:1 strikeout-to-walk ratio over 8.2 innings. Ty Brooks (2-1, 6.00 ERA) has thrown a team-high 15.0 innings in conference play with 13 strikeouts. Spencer Johnsen, Justin Hoff, and Brady Banker have all recorded shutout appearances on the mound. Ryan Karst (1-0, 1.08 ERA) and Jack Armstrong (0-1, 9.39 ERA) have both made two starts apiece in conference play. Sycamores Against Illinois State Indiana State has the all-time 119-88 mark against Illinois State over their respective program histories, but the Redbirds have the 50-47 edge in games played in Normal, Ill. In conference competition, the Sycamores hold the all-time 90-58 edge. Illinois State took two of the three games in Terre Haute last season with 11-4 and 12-1 wins over the Sycamores over May 15-17. The Sycamores secured the 17-3 win in the Saturday contest. The two teams met again in the first round of the Missouri Valley Conference Championships in an elimination game with the Redbirds topping Indiana State 14-4. Illinois State’s series win over the Sycamores in 2025 snapped a six season stretch where Indiana State won the series over the Redbirds. About the Illinois State Illinois State was selected fourth overall in the Missouri Valley preseason baseball poll receiving 57 total points and one first-place vote. The Redbirds had six players recognized on the conference’s Player to Watch List including Brayden Bakes (OF), Reece Clapp (RHP), Matthew Donnison (RHP), Thomas Harper (RHP), Graham Mastros (Util.), and Luke Stulga (OF). The Redbirds enter the weekend series with a 21-12 overall record, 5-4 mark in Missouri Valley play, and an 8-1 record at Duffy Bass Field. Illinois State opened conference play by sweeping Belmont over March 20-22, before falling in two of three games at Evansville the following weekend. The Redbirds dropped two of three this past weekend at Southern Illinois. Brayden Bakes (.379) has lived up to the billing as one of the top outfielders in the Missouri Valley with a .379 batting average, including a team-high 10 home runs and 36 runs scored. Graham Mastros (.374) has also been among the team’s leaders with 12 doubles and 33 RBIs and has added nine stolen bases. Luke Stulga (.329) and Josh Outlaw (.314) are also hitting above .300 from the plate in helping lead a Redbird offense hitting .299 overall as a team. Michael Addari (3-2, 1.22 ERA) has been among the Valley’s pitching leaders on the year over 37.0 innings while posting a 38:10 strikeout-to-walk ratio. Thomas Harper (1-2, 6.15 ERA) and Luke Teschke (3-1, 5.85 ERA) have also been among the team’s weekend regulars on the mound. Illinois State has recorded a 4.93 ERA as a staff over 286.2 innings pitched while allowing opponents to hit .359. ========================================================== PURDUE FT. WAYNE MEN’S VB FORT WAYNE, Ind. – The Purdue Fort Wayne men’s volleyball team took the first set from No. 9 Loyola Chicago on Thursday evening (April 9), before eventually falling in four sets (20-25, 25-21, 25-23, 25-15). The Ramblers opened the match up with a 5-1 run that was quickly checked by a 9-2 scoring stretch from the Mastodons for an 18-13 lead. The ‘Dons’ run was highlighted by service aces from Owen Banner and Hunter Hopkins. Purdue Fort Wayne managed to hold their distance for the remainder of the set, capping off the frame with three straight points for a 25-20 conclusion. Loyola Chicago matched their first set opening, pulling off a 6-2 run to welcome the second. The Mastodons failed to catch up to the Ramblers’ offense, hitting a match-low .120 in the frame. Loyola Chicago scored another four unanswered points to extend their lead in the set, finishing at 25-21. The third set proved to be the closest of the match, falling the Rambler’s way 25-23. The ‘Dons held a 16-12 lead following a 5-1 run, bolstered by two kills from Banner and aces from Casey Lyons and Logan Muir. The set turned to Loyola Chicago on a late 7-2 run to steal the lead and finish off the frame. The Ramblers cruised through the final frame, starting with an early 5-0 run and finishing off the set with a 10-4 scoring stretch. Loyola Chicago hit .619 in the final set and won 25-15. The Ramblers hit seven service aces in the match, compared to Purdue Fort Wayne’s four. Brody McAfee hit a career-high 10 kills in the match on a .643 clip from the middle. No. 20 Purdue Fort Wayne moves to an even 11-11 on the year, 6-9 in MIVA play. Loyola Chicago climbs to 18-6 for the season, 12-3 in MIVA play. The ‘Don swill host No. 16 Lewis at the Gates Sports Center on Saturday (April 11) for the Mastodons’ senior night. =========================================================== EVANSVILLE BASEBALL EVANSVILLE, Ind. – Entering the weekend on a three-game win streak, the University of Evansville baseball team is set to welcome Southern Illinois to the River City for a key MVC series. The series begins on Friday with a 6 PM first pitch. Series History – Friday marks the 195th meeting between Evansville and SIU – SIU leads the series 121-73, including a 45-36 edge in Evansville – Last season, the Salukis won 2 of 3 games in Carbondale – The last meeting in Evansville came in 2024, with Evansville winning 2 of 3 games Reagan is Raking – Reagan Reeder has come into his own ove the last three games, driving in 7 runs with 4 extra base hits – Reeder has homered in each of the last two games, including an 111 mph, 410 foot blast on Wednesday against Lindenwood – Reeder had his first 3-hit game of the season in game two at Bradley, going 3-for-5 with a double, triple, and four RBIs Fantastic Freshman – Freshman right-hander Tanner Graham has emerged as one of the top pitchers in the Missouri Valley Conference this season, ranking fourth in the league in ERA at 2.59 – Graham has not allowed a run over his last 13 innings pitched – Last weekend against Bradley, Graham fired four scorelesss innings against Bradley before the game was suspended due to weather Crucial Series – Although it remains early in MVC play, this weekend’s series will go a long way in sorting out the conference standings – Evansville enters the weekend at 4-2 in MVC play and in third place in the Valley, with SIU entering the weekend one game behind at 3-3 – Six Valley teams hold records within two games of .500 in league play entering the weekend =========================================================== SOUTHERN INDIANA SOFTBALL EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana Softball heads out on the road this weekend for the first of back-to-back Ohio Valley Conference road series when the Screaming Eagles visit Tennessee Tech University on Saturday and Sunday from Cookeville, Tennessee. The three-game set begins with a Saturday doubleheader at Noon and concludes with the series finale at Noon on Sunday. USI Softball (11-21, 8-7 OVC) looks to move back up the Ohio Valley Conference standings, entering the weekend series in a three-way tie for fifth alongside Lindenwood University and Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. Tennessee Tech (13-22, 10-5 OVC) heads into the weekend in third place and two games ahead of USI. USI leads the all-time series against Tennessee Tech, 7-3. Last season, the Screaming Eagles swept the regular-season series at home, but the Golden Eagles won 2-1 when the two teams met in last year’s OVC Tournament. The Screaming Eagles are coming off a home series loss against Morehead State University last week, dropping their second OVC series in a row. USI fell in the first two games before claiming the series finale against Morehead State. In last week’s series, senior outfielder Caroline Stapleton had a strong offensive series, batting .455 with four runs, two RBIs, and four stolen bases. Freshman outfielder Katelyn Marx hit .444 with three runs, and freshman infielder Jadyn Tinsley batted .400 with three RBIs. In the circle, sophomore pitcher Kylie Witthaus went 1-1 in two complete games with five strikeouts, posting a 1.50 ERA in the series. The two starts were the best back-to-back outings by the left-hander this season. Over the last two series, Marx and Tinsley have been solid, batting .389 and .368, respectively. Marx also has five runs and two RBIs, while Tinsley has a team-best five RBIs in the last six games. Junior outfielder Kate Satkoski has a team-best .400 batting average during the same stretch, tallying three extra-base hits and two RBIs. Junior catcher Alyssa Mumaw has hit .353 with four RBIs in the last two series. Overall, Stapleton tops the squad with a .337 batting average and 27 runs. Marx is not far behind with a .330 batting average while notching 13 RBIs so far this season. Junior infielder Sydney Long has a team-best 16 RBIs while hitting just below .300. Long has the team’s best active on-base streak, reaching base in 10 consecutive games, which is two games shy of the team’s season-best on-base streak of 12 games set earlier this season by Mumaw. On the pitching staff, Witthaus (3-6) has thrown a team-high 82.1 innings with 41 strikeouts and a 4.68 ERA. Freshman pitcher Anna Kemp (3-9) leads the team with a 4.47 ERA and 42 strikeouts. Freshman pitcher Elly Robbins (5-6) paces the squad with five wins. Tennessee Tech is coming off a midweek home loss against the University of North Alabama, falling 4-3. In the Golden Eagles’ previous OVC series last weekend, Tennessee Tech dropped two of three on the road at Western Illinois University. The Golden Eagles are in the middle of a five-game homestand after being on the road for seven straight games. Sophomores Jailynn Paderez and Ashley Capelouto have been the Golden Eagles’ top offensive performers this season. Paderez is hitting a team-best .426 with three home runs and 26 RBIs. Meanwhile, Capelouto is second with a .337 batting average while pacing the squad with seven home runs and 32 RBIs. On the pitching side, senior hurler Addison Abell (3-2) has a team-leading 3.54 ERA in 21 total appearances, including 11 starts, and 61.1 innings pitched. Junior pitcher Emily York (7-10) has a 5.32 ERA while topping the team with 55 strikeouts and 72.1 innings of work. The three-game series between USI and Tennessee Tech can be seen with an ESPN+ subscription. The Spin 95.7 FM will have radio coverage. Additional coverage and live stat links are available on the USI Softball schedule page on usiscreamingeagles.com. ==================================================== MARIAN MEN’S BASKETBALL INDIANAPOLIS – On Thursday, April 9, the Marian University Department of Athletics officially named its 11th head coach in Marian men’s basketball program history, naming Steve Drabyn as the new face to lead the Knights. An Indiana native, Drabyn takes over the Marian’s men’s basketball program after serving in the same role the previous seven seasons at Bethel University. Steve Drabyn is a veteran collegiate basketball coach with nearly two decades of experience across the NAIA and NCAA Division I levels, bringing a proven track record of program leadership, player development, and sustained success to Marian University. “I am extremely grateful to become the next Head Men’s Basketball Coach at Marian University,” said Drabyn. “This is a great opportunity for me personally and professionally. I want to thank Dr. Elsener, Steve Downing, Mark Henninger, and the rest of the search committee for trusting me to lead this program. My staff and I will work very hard to build a program that this athletic department, school, and Marian community can be proud of. I can’t wait to get started. Go Knights!” Drabyn comes to Marian after spending the last seven seasons as the head men’s basketball coach at Bethel University (Ind.), where he led the program from 2019 to 2026.Drabyn Bethel Sideline During his tenure, he compiled a 148-82 overall record (.643 winning percentage) and posted a 69-56 mark in Crossroads League play. His leadership guided the Pilots to five NAIA Tournament appearances, highlighted by a run to the NAIA Quarterfinals in 2020-21 during his second season. In 2022-23, Bethel captured the NCCAA National Championship, further cementing the program’s success under his direction. The 2024-25 season saw another strong conference showing, as Bethel went 14-4 in league play and finished second in the regular season standings, his best coaching record in league play. The Pilots were 26-9 this past season, marking the most wins in a season in Drabyn’s head coaching tenure. Bethel finished in the top-four in the Crossroads League with a 12-6 mark, and reached the NAIA Tournament Second Round. “I am excited to have Steve Drabyn serve as our next head coach of our men’s basketball program,” said Director of Athletics Steve Downing. “He is a proven winner and knows what it takes to win in the Crossroads League. His talents and leadership skills are something our program requires, and I have no doubt he will get our program back on track and in contention in the league.” Prior to his time at Bethel, Drabyn gained extensive NCAA Division I experience with assistant coaching stops at Lipscomb University and Stetson University, combining for eight seasons at the two schools. At both institutions, he contributed across all areas of the program, including recruiting, scouting, practice planning, academic oversight, and game day operations, helping shape his comprehensive approach to coaching. Drabyn spent six seasons at Libscomb from 2013-19, and two seasons at Stetson University, from 2011-13. While an assistant at Lipscomb, Drabyn oversaw CARA logs scheduling, perimeter player development, recruiting evaluations and visits, and player responsibilities on campus. He also played a key role in helping the Bison to a 29-8 record in his final season at Libscomb, and were NIT Runner-Ups in the 2018-19 season after winning the Atlantic-Sun (ASun) Regular Season Championship. His coaching career began at Lees-McRae College before returning to Indiana as a teacher and assistant coach at Carmel High School. His background in education continues to influence his coaching philosophy, emphasizing the development of student-athletes both on and off the court. Drabyn spent three seasons with the Carmel Greyhounds, including his final season as an assistant for former Marian head coach Scott Heady. A graduate of Belmont University with a degree in physical education and a minor in business administration, Drabyn also holds a graduate degree in education from the University of Indianapolis. Drabyn was a two-time Belmont co-captain, scoring over 1200 career points with an average of 11.7 per game in his collegiate playing career,Drabyn 2 action from bethel earning ASun Second Team All-Conference honors as a senior in 2004. He was awarded the Belmont WC Griffith Outstanding Physical Education Award and was a three-time Academic All-Conference honoree in the ASun. In 2003, he led the NCAA nationally in free-throw percentage at 95.1%, which at the time was the second-best mark in DI history. He was inducted into the Belmont Athletic Hall of Fame in 2016. Drabyn hails from LaPorte, Indiana, and was a 2000 Indiana High School Senior All-Star for the Slicers and broke the national career free-throw percentage record with a mark of 92.1%. He is the son of long-time Indiana High School head coach Steve Drabyn Sr., and his sister, Kristin Wodrich, has recently been an assistant for the Butler women’s basketball program after serving as the head coach of the University of Indianapolis for four seasons. Drabyn will officially begin duties as the head coach on April 20. A media availability session will be held during that week. ===================================================== SMALL INDIANA COLLEGE SPORTS WEB SITES UINDY ATHLETICS: https://athletics.uindy.edu/ MARIAN ATHLETICS: https://muknights.com/ INDIANA WESLEYAN ATHLETICS: https://iwuwildcats.com/ EARLHAM ATHLETICS: https://goearlham.com/ WABASH ATHLETICS: https://sports.wabash.edu/ FRANKLIN ATHLETICS: https://franklingrizzlies.com/ ROSE-HULMAN ATHLETICS: https://athletics.rose-hulman.edu/ ANDERSON ATHLETICS: https://athletics.anderson.edu/landing/index TRINE ATHLETICS: https://trinethunder.com/landing/index BETHEL ATHLETICS: https://bupilots.com/ DEPAUW ATHLETICS: https://depauwtigers.com/ HANOVER ATHLETICS: https://athletics.hanover.edu/ MANCHESTER ATHLETICS: https://muspartans.com/ HUNTINGTON ATHLETICS: https://www.huathletics.com/ OAKLAND CITY ATHLETICS: https://gomightyoaks.com/index.aspx ST. FRANCIS ATHLETICS: https://www.saintfranciscougars.com/landing/index IU KOKOMO ATHLETICS: https://iukcougars.com/ IU EAST ATHLETICS: https://www.iueredwolves.com/ IU SOUTH BEND ATHLETICS: https://iusbtitans.com/ PURDUE NORTHWEST ATHLETICS: https://pnwathletics.com/ INDIANA TECH ATHLETICS: https://indianatechwarriors.com/index.aspx GRACE COLLEGE ATHLETICS: https://gclancers.com/ ST. MARY OF THE WOODS ATHLETICS: https://smwcathletics.com/ GOSHEN COLLEGE ATHLETICS: https://goleafs.net/ HOLY CROSS ATHLETICS: https://www.hcsaints.com/index.php TAYLOR ATHLETICS: https://www.taylortrojans.com/ VINCENNES ATHLETICS: https://govutrailblazers.com/landing/index ========================================================= “SPORTS EXTRA” TODAY IN BASEBALL HISTORY 1913 In a game that features President Woodrow Wilson throwing out the first pitch, Washington’s Walter Johnson gives up an unearned run in the first inning of the home opener, but the ‘Big Train’ will not yield another tally for 56 innings. The Senators beat the Yankees, formerly the Highlanders, since the franchise moved from Baltimore to New York in 1903, 2-1. 1947 Dodgers’ president Branch Rickey issues a brief statement to the press during the sixth inning of an exhibition game against the Dodgers’ minor league team, the Montreal Royals, at Ebbets Field. The two sentences will forever change the game when the team announces, “The Brooklyn Dodgers today purchased Jackie Roosevelt Robinson’s contract from the Montreal Royals. He will report immediately.” 1959 On Opening Day, Nellie Fox, who goes 5-for-7, hits an unlikely two-run homer off Don Mossi in the top of the 14th inning to beat Detroit at Briggs Stadium, 9-7. The White Sox second baseman, called ‘Mighty Mite’ by his teammates, did not homer in 623 at-bats last season. 1961 In the last opener ever to be played at Griffith Stadium, rookie president JFK throws out the longest and hardest thrown ceremonial first pitch in history as the ball sails over the heads of the players lined up in front of the presidential box. The newly elected Commander in Chief, an avid Red Sox fan, stays for the entire game and sees the ‘new’ Washington Senators, the former team having moved to Minnesota, play their first game, losing to the White Sox, 4-3. 1962 In front of 52,564 fans, Reds infielder Eddie Kasko doubles off Johnny Podres in the first-ever at-bat at Dodger Stadium, and Duke Snider’s single in the bottom of the second accounts for the home team’s first hit. After the first four seasons at the LA Memorial Coliseum, the team drops a 6-3 decision to the Reds in the debut of the new $22-million ballpark in Chavez Ravine, financed with a two-percent interest loan from the Union Oil Company in exchange for exclusive rights to advertise within the stadium. 1962 Wally Post hits the first home run in Dodger Stadium history, a two-out, three-run shot in the seventh inning over the center-field fence off Johnny Podres that proves to be the difference in Cincinnati’s 6-3 victory. The left fielder’s homer is a fair ball, unlike some others hit in Chavez Ravine, with the discovery that the foul poles are positioned in foul territory, requiring special permission from the National League for umpires to call balls down the line as fair. 1962 At Houston’s Colt Stadium, thanks to a pair of three-run home runs by Roman Mejias, the Colt .45s defeat the Cubs in their first-ever major league game, 11-2. Former Yankee hurler Bobby Shantz gets the win for the new franchise on owner Judge Hofheinz’s 50th birthday. 1968 In the Red Sox’s 7-3 win at Tiger Stadium, Carl Yastrzemski homers twice on the first day of the season, with one being an inside-the-park round-tripper. Marlins’ third baseman Emilio Bonifacio will stroke the next Opening Day inside-the-park poke 41 years later when he circles the bases for a four-base hit against the Nationals at Dolphin Stadium. 1969 Tommie Agee hits a monster shot into the stadium’s top tier in left field, making the blast the longest home run to reach the seats in Shea Stadium history. The Mets place a disc in the Flushing ballpark’s upper deck to commemorate the Mets center fielder’s historic homer. 1971 The largest crowd to see a baseball game in Pennsylvania watch the Phillies’ first game at Veterans Stadium despite temperatures in the low 40s. A chilled but enthusiastic 55,352 fans are on hand to see Jim Bunning throw the first pitch and Larry Bowa single for the park’s first hit in Philadelphia’s 4-1 defeat of the Expos. 1973 A crowd of 39,464 chilly fans watches the first game at Royals Stadium and sees the home team rout the Rangers, 12-1. The ballpark, to be renamed Kauffman Stadium in 1993 to honor the team’s beloved owner, is recognized as one of the most beautiful in baseball. 1976 With the bases loaded and the Brewers trailing the Yankees by three runs, Don Money blasts Dave Pagan’s 1-0 pitch deep into the left-field bleachers, circling the bases for an apparent walk-off grand slam. Billy Martin vehemently insists first base ump Jim McLean called a timeout before the pitch, leading to the play’s nullification when the arbitrator admits he had, after denying the skipper’s claim at first, in Milwaukee’s eventual 9-7 heartbreaking loss. 1976 After being granted his free agency in a landmark case that will forever change baseball, Andy Messersmith becomes one of the first major leaguers to use his new status to sign with a team of his choice. The former Dodger right-hander comes to terms with the Braves, posting a 16-15 record during his two-year tenure for his new club. 1977 At Fenway Park, the Indians (13) and the Red Sox (6) established a major league record for the most runs scored by both teams in one inning. The eighth-inning barrage proves to be too much for Boston as Cleveland beats the home team, 19-9. 1979 After yesterday’s 10-2 Opening Day rout by the Blue Jays, White Sox owner Bill Veeck offers free admission to fans for tomorrow’s Comiskey Park contest. The outcome will also be disappointing for the Southside fans when the Pale Hose allows six Toronto runs to score in the top of the eighth inning and lose the game, 9-7. 1979 At the Astrodome, J.R. Richard, striking out 13 batters in a complete-game effort, sets the record for most wild pitches in a game, uncorking six in the Astros’ 2-1 victory over the Dodgers. Braves’ knuckleballer Phil Niekro will tie the Houston right-hander’s dubious mark later in the season, each surpassing Tiger rookie Charley Wheatley, who threw five in one frame in 1912. 1980 Jon Matlack and Yankee southpaw Ron Guidry match zeroes for nine innings at Arlington Stadium’s season opener. In the 12th, with his 1978 Opening Day nemesis, Richie Zisk, at the plate, Goose Gossage allows Mickey Rivers to score the game’s only run from third base when his first and only pitch is wild, giving the Rangers a 1-0 victory. 1981 On Opening Day, White Sox catcher Carlton Fisk, playing the first game of his career while not wearing a Red Sox uniform, makes a dramatic return to Fenway, hitting a three-run homer in the eighth to knot the score at 3-3. Chicago will tack on two more runs in the ninth, beating Boston, 5-3. 1982 A crowd of 62,443 fans shows up with a game-time temperature of 38 degrees and a wind chill of 17 to see the Indians drop the season opener to the Rangers, 8-3. Before the game, the team removed five hundred tons of snow from the Municipal Stadium field. 1984 New York City Mayor Ed Koch announces renovation plans for Shea Stadium, including installing artificial turf and adding more center field stands and luxury boxes. The projected cost to upgrade the Mets’ home will be less than the $43 million the city offered last fall in an unsuccessful attempt to keep the NFL Jets from moving from the 20-year-old venue to the Meadowlands in New Jersey. 1984 Martha and the Vandellas’ iconic hitDancing in the Streets, recorded a couple of miles north of the ballpark twenty years ago at Motown Studios, is finally played over the public address system at Tiger Stadium. Jim Campbell, Detroit’s GM, who thought the lyrics might cause rowdiness in the stands, finally gives in to his younger fans’ wishes, resulting in a ballpark tradition of the crowd cheering when Martha Reeves belts out the immortal words, “Can’t Forget the Motor City.” 1985 Cal Ripken sprains his left ankle during a pick-off play in the third inning of a game (444 of the streak) against the Rangers. The ‘Iron man’ does not leave the game, and X-rays taken later in the day will reveal no fractures. 1989 Ken Griffey Jr., the youngest player in the majors, hits his first career homer on the first pitch he sees at his home ballpark, the Kingdome. The 19-year-old son of the Reds outfielder with the same name takes White Sox right-hander Eric King’s offering deep on his father’s 39th birthday. 1989 Dave Stieb pitches his third one-hitter in his past four starts when the Blue Jays beat the Yankees in the Bronx, 8-0. The 30-year-old right-hander had also limited Baltimore and Cleveland to a lone hit during his last two starts the previous season. 1990 Detroit skipper Sparky Anderson decides to walk Wade Boggs intentionally three times, tying a major league mark for a nine-inning game. The Tigers’ strategy pays off by preventing additional runs, but the team still drops a 4-2 decision to the Red Sox at Fenway Park. 1990 George Bush becomes the first U.S. president to throw the ceremonial first pitch on Opening Day in Canada. After the international toss at the SkyDome in Toronto, the Blue Jays beat the visiting Rangers, 2-1. 1992 Dave Eiland hits his only big-league home run in his first major league at-bat, becoming the first hurler to accomplish the feat while allowing a homer to the first batter he faced in the major leagues. As a rookie for the Yankees, the Padres right-hander gave up a round-tripper to Paul Molitor, the first batter he faced in his 1988 big league debut. 1997 Alex Fernandez, making his first appearance in Chicago since leaving the White Sox after signing with the Marlins as a free agent in the offseason, comes within two outs of pitching a no-hitter at Wrigley Field. Cubs’ pinch-hitter Dave Hansen’s infield hit off the pitcher’s glove breaks up the no-no, but the right-hander’s one-hitter hands the Northsiders a 1-0 loss, with the team falling to 0-8, the worst start in the club’s 122-year history. 1998 Trailing the Diamondbacks, 4-2, at Qualcomm Stadium with two outs in the bottom of the ninth, Steve Finley erases the two-run deficit with a walk-off grand slam. The Padres’ center fielder, who will accomplish the feat again in 2004, hits the game-ending round-tripper off Felix Rodriguez. 1998 “Well I love that dirty water Oh, Boston, you’re my home (Oh, you’re the number one place).” Following the lead of the NHL’s Bruins and the NFL’s Patriots, the Red Sox begin playing Ed Cobb’s Dirty Water, a song by the Standells known for its iconic lyrics, ‘Boston you’re my home,’ after the home team wins. The tune’s debut at Fenway Park is memorable when the team’s victory anthem plays with Mo Vaughn circling the bases following his walk-off grand slam, giving the BoSox, who had entered the frame trailing by five runs, an improbable 9-7 walk-off victory over Seattle. 2000 Ken Griffey Jr. becomes the youngest player in major league history to hit 400 home runs when he goes deep into the left-field seats off Rolando Arrojo in the fourth inning of the Reds’ 7-5 loss to Colorado at Coors Field. Thirty-year-old Junior reaches the milestone 107 days younger than Jimmie Foxx, who accomplished it in 1938 while playing with the Red Sox. 2003 Astros’ outfielder Craig Biggio breaks Bobby Bonds’ National League record when he hits his 31st career leadoff homer, a shot off Cincinnati’s Danny Graves in Houston’s 4-2 victory at Minute Maid Park. Rickey Henderson holds the major league mark, homering 80 times as the first batter for his team. 2003 In a 7-6 victory over the Cardinals at Coors Field, the Rockies turned the first triple play in club history. With Scott Rolen on second base and Tino Martinez on first, Colorado’s first baseman Todd Helton catches Orlando Palmeiro’s soft liner for the first out and then throws the ball to shortstop Jose Hernandez, who steps on second for the second out and then tags Martinez to complete the triple killing. 2006 During the Devil Rays’ home opener, a snippet of More Cowbell, a skit from Saturday Night Live, originally aired in the spring of 2000, is shown at Tropicana Field. The video clip, suggested by the team’s new principal owner, Stuart Sternberg, will inspire the Tampa Bay fans to start the tradition of clanging bells at the ballpark during games. 2006 Rather than exploit the free-agent market next season, David Ortiz agrees to a $52 million, four-year contract extension with the Red Sox. The deal, which will keep the popular designated hitter in Boston until 2010, also includes a team option for the following season. 2007 After four days of weather-induced postponements, including blinding snow and sub-freezing temperatures, the Cleveland Indians play their home opener on the road, beating the Angels at Miller Park in Milwaukee, 7-6. The last time a series changed venues, the games were played in U.S. Cellular Field when the Marlins hosted the Expos in Chicago due to Hurricane Ivan hitting Miami in September of 2004. 2012 Vin Scully misses the Dodgers’ home opener for the first time in 35 years after doctors order the 84-year-old Hall of Fame broadcaster to rest as he recovers from a bad cold. The last time the team’s play-by-play announcer was absent from the season’s first home game, he was on assignment, calling the first round of the Masters in 1977. 2012 The Indians announce signing Carlos Santana to a five-year extension, with a club option for a sixth year, reportedly worth $21 million. The 26-year-old catcher joins the team’s shortstop, Asdrubal Cabrera, who signed a two-year extension last week with the Tribe, as a player with less than three years of service locked up through their arbitration-eligible years. 2012 “I love Fidel Castro, I respect Fidel Castro. You know why? A lot of people have wanted to kill Fidel Castro for the last 60 years, but that m**r is still here.” – OZZIE GUILLEN, praising the Cuban dictator during an interview with Time magazine. Miami suspends Ozzie Guillen for five games after the manager praised Fidel Castro in a Time magazine interview. The outspoken skipper’s comments, stating he “loves” and “respects” Castro, deeply offended the large Cuban exile community living in Miami, many of them victimized by the dictator. 2013 The Red Sox regular-season span of 794 sellouts ends when a less-than-capacity crowd attends the team’s 8-5 loss to the Orioles at Fenway Park, easily surpassing the previous baseball record of 455 full houses at Jacobs Field, established by the Indians from 1995 to 2001. The addition of postseason games brings the total to 820, surpassing the Portland Trailblazers’ mark of 814 consecutive sold-out contests, making Boston’s stretch the longest in major professional sports history. 2014 When 24-year-old sophomore hurler Danny Salazar whiffs ten White Sox batters in 3⅔ innings in the Indians’ loss at U.S. Cellular Field, it marks the first time since 1914 that a starting pitcher whiffed ten batters without finishing the fourth frame. The right-hander gives up five earned runs and six hits and gets all his outs via the strikeout, except for Adam Eaton, who is thrown out at second base, trying to stretch a single into a double for the first out in the third inning. 2015 At Great American Ball Park, Reds closer Aroldis Chapman throws a 101 mph fastball by Matt Holliday to get the last out in the team’s 5-4 victory over St. Louis, making the fireballer the leader in saves by a Cuban-born player with 115. The 27-year-old Holguin native surpasses Pinar del Rio’s Danys Baez, who, beginning in 2001, closed for six teams during his ten-year tenure in the major leagues. 2015 The Red Sox need six hours and 49 minutes to beat New York at Yankee Stadium, making the contest the longest game in franchise history. The 19-inning victory lasted 14 minutes longer than a 2001 loss to the Rangers in Texas. 2015 Cubs Travis Wood and Tyler Matzek of the Rockies hit eighth in their team’s lineup, marking just the 12th time in major league history that mound opponents have not batted ninth in the same game. The last occurrence happened in 2008 when the Cardinals, led by Tony La Russa, who frequently employed his hurler in that slot, played the Pirates. 2015 Mark Buehrle becomes the 113th pitcher in major league history to win 200 games when he hurls six solid innings in Toronto’s 12-5 victory over the Orioles at Camden Yards. The 36-year-old southpaw, who has also played for the White Sox and Marlins, is the second pitcher to reach the milestone while wearing a Blue Jays uniform, joining Roger Clemens, who accomplished the feat in 1997. 2017 Wil Myers completes the second cycle in Padres’ history when he triples in the top of the 8th inning of the team’s 5-3 victory over the Rockies at Coors Field. The 26-year-old first baseman joins Matt Kemp, who accomplished the feat two seasons ago after the franchise had gone 35 years without one. ========================================================= TV SPORTS TODAY Friday, 4/10/2026 MLB REGULAR SEASONTIME ETTVPittsburgh Pirates vs Chicago Cubs2:20pmSN-PITMARQLos Angeles Angels vs Cincinnati Reds6:40pmApple TVMiami Marlins vs Detroit Tigers6:40pmSN-DETMarlins.TVArizona Diamondbacks vs Philadelphia Phillies6:40pmNBCS-PHIDBacks.TVSan Francisco Giants vs Baltimore Orioles7:05pmNBCS-BAYMASNMinnesota Twins vs Toronto Blue Jays7:07pmTwins.TVSNAthletics vs New York Mets7:10pmSNYNBCS-CANew York Yankees vs Tampa Bay Rays7:10pmRays.TVYESCleveland Guardians vs Atlanta Braves7:15pmGaurdians.TVBraves.TVChicago White Sox vs Kansas City Royals7:40pmCHSNRoyals.TVWashington Nationals vs Milwaukee Brewers7:40pmNationals.TVBrewers.TVBoston Red Sox vs St. Louis Cardinals8:15pmNESNCardinals.TVColorado Rockies vs San Diego Padres9:40pmRockies.TVPadres.TVHouston Astros vs Seattle Mariners9:40pmSCHNMariners.TVTexas Rangers vs Los Angeles Dodgers10:10pmRSNSNLANBA REGULAR SEASONTIME ETTVMiami Heat vs Washington Wizards7:00pmFanDuel Sports SunMNMTDetroit Pistons vs Charlotte Hornets7:00pmFanDuel Sports DETFanDuel Sports CHACleveland Cavaliers vs Atlanta Hawks7:00pmPrimePhiladelphia 76ers vs Indiana Pacers7:30pmNBCS-PHIFanDuel Sports INDToronto Raptors vs New York Knicks7:30pmSNMSGNew Orleans Pelicans vs Boston Celtics7:30pmGCSNNBCS-BOSDallas Mavericks vs San Antonio Spurs8:00pmKFAAKENSBrooklyn Nets vs Milwaukee Bucks8:00pmFanDuel Sports MILYESOrlando Magic vs Chicago Bulls8:00pmFanDuel Sports FLCHSNOklahoma City Thunder vs Denver Nuggets9:00pmFanDuel Sports OKCALT<Memphis Grizzlies vs Utah Jazz9:30pmFanDuel Sports MEMKJZZMinnesota Timberwolves vs Houston Rockets9:30pmPrimeSCHNFanDuel Sports NorthGolden State Warriors vs Sacramento Kings10:00pmNBCS-BAYNBCS-CALos Angeles Clippers vs Portland Trail Blazers10:00pmFanDuel Sports SoCalRip CityPhoenix Suns vs Los Angeles Lakers10:30pmAFSNSpectrumUFLTIME ETTVOrlando at Louisville8:00pmFOXCOLLEGE BASEBALLTIME ETTVFlorida St. at Georgia Tech8:00pmACCNTexas at Texas A&M8:00pmSECNUFLTIME ETTVDC Defenders vs Columbus Aviators8:00pmFOXMOTORSPORTSTIME ETTVNASCAR Truck: Tennessee Army National Guard 2507:30pmFS1GOLFTIME ETTVMasters3:00pmESPNSOCCERTIME ETTVLigue 1: Paris vs Monaco1:00pmFanatizbeIN SportsfuboTVBundesliga: Augsburg vs Hoffenheim2:30pmESPN+fuboTVSerie A: Roma vs Pisa2:45pmParamount+fuboTVLigue 1: Olympique Marseille vs Metz2:45pmFanatizbeIN SportsfuboTVEPL: West Ham United vs Wolverhampton Wanderers3:00pmPeacockLa Liga: Real Madrid vs Girona3:00pmESPN+fuboTVLiga MX: Puebla vs León9:00pmVIXLiga MX: Juárez vs Tijuana11:00pmfuboTV About The Author troyderengowski61@gmail.com See author's posts Post navigation THE INDIANA SRN “SCOREBOARD” APRIL 9 THE INDIANA SRN “SCOREBOARD” APRIL 10
