THE INDIANA SRN “SPORTSPAGE” FRIDAY JUNE 26, 2026

“THE SCOREBOARD”

MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL SCOREBOARD

RAYS 13, ROYALS 2

PHILLIES 10, NATIONALS 5

PIRATES 5, MARINERS 1

ATHLETICS 9, GIANTS 6

ASTROS 2, TIGERS 1

RANGERS 6, BLUE JAYS 5

RED SOX 6, YANKEES 3

CUBS 4, METS 3 (10 INNINGS)

===================================

MINOR LEAGUE BASEBALL SCOREBOARD

SCRANTON 6 INDIANAPOLIS 4

LAKE COUNTY 8 FT. WAYNE 0

QUAD CITIES 8 SOUTH BEND 1

===============================

WNBA SCOREBOARD

TEMPO 125 SPARKS 97

ACES 99 WINGS 84

STORM 99 LIBERTY 88

===============================

MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER SCOREBOARD

NO GAMES SCHEDULED

===============================

WORLD CUP SCOREBOARD

THURSDAY

IVORY COAST 2 CURACAO 0

ECUADOR 2 GERMANY 1

JAPAN 1 SWEDEN 1

NETHERLANDS 3 TUNISIA 1

PARAGUAY 0 AUSTRAILIA 0

TURKEY 3 UNITED STATES 2

=====

FRIDAY, 26 JUNE 2026

NORWAY V FRANCE – GROUP I – BOSTON STADIUM

SENEGAL V IRAQ – GROUP I – TORONTO STADIUM

EGYPT V IR IRAN – GROUP G – SEATTLE STADIUM

NEW ZEALAND V BELGIUM – GROUP G – BC PLACE VANCOUVER

CABO VERDE V SAUDI ARABIA – GROUP H – HOUSTON STADIUM

URUGUAY V SPAIN – GROUP H – ESTADIO GUADALAJARA

SATURDAY, 27 JUNE 2026

PANAMA V ENGLAND – GROUP L – NEW YORK NEW JERSEY STADIUM

CROATIA V GHANA – GROUP L – PHILADELPHIA STADIUM

ALGERIA V AUSTRIA – GROUP J – KANSAS CITY STADIUM

JORDAN V ARGENTINA – GROUP J – DALLAS STADIUM

COLOMBIA V PORTUGAL – GROUP K – MIAMI STADIUM

CONGO DR V UZBEKISTAN – GROUP K – ATLANTA STADIUM

===================================

NFL TRAINING CAMP DATES

===================================

MAJOR NATIONAL HEADLINES/RELEASES

NBA

HORNETS TRADE LAMELO BALL, JOSH GREEN TO TIMBERWOLVES FOR NAZ REID, DRAFT PICKS, AP SOURCE SAYS

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — LaMelo Ball is the latest NBA star with a new home.

The Charlotte Hornets agreed to trade Ball, their starting point guard, and Josh Green to the Minnesota Timberwolves for power forward Naz Reid, a 2033 unprotected first-round draft pick, three first-round pick swaps and three future second-round picks, a person familiar with the situation told The Associated Press on Thursday.

The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the deal, first reported by ESPN, has yet to be approved by the league.

The three first-round pick swaps will be in 2028, 2029 and 2030. The Hornets also get three second-round picks in 2029, 2032 and 2033.

The Hornets quickly moved to agree on a three-year, $74 million contract with new projected starting point guard Coby White following the trade, the person familiar with the situation told the AP.

White, the all-time leading scorer in North Carolina high school basketball history, averaged 15.6 points and 3 assists per game while shooting 39.1% from 3-point range last season for the Hornets after being acquired in a trade with the Chicago Bulls.

The 24-year-old Ball, the No. 3 overall pick in the 2020 NBA draft, had three years left on a five-year, $203.9 million designated rookie contract with the Hornets, which was a franchise record.

An All-Star in 2022, Ball has struggled with ankle and foot injuries during his career, but he played in 72 games last season and averaged 20.1 points, 7.1 assists and 4.8 rebounds per game, helping the Hornets win 44 games before being blown out in the play-in tournament by the Orlando Magic.

Ball finished second in the league in 3s made last year with 272, one behind rookie teammate Kon Knueppel.

Ball is considered an exceptional offensive player, but his shortcomings on the defensive end were at times a source of irritation for coach Charles Lee.

Still, Ball’s ability to create opportunities for his teammates off the dribble, his exceptional passing and unique knack for getting off 3-pointers — with shots often coming off one foot — via a stepback move, make him one of the league’s most dynamic scoring point guards.

But Ball was never able to get the Hornets to the playoffs in his six seasons with the club, with injuries playing a role. Before this season, Ball missed 141 games over the previous three seasons.

This trade is expected to be included as part of the transaction in which Minnesota agreed to send Julius Randle to Brooklyn in a deal that involved the Chicago Bulls, a second person with knowledge of the agreement told the AP. It will create an NBA-record trade exception of nearly $41 million for the Hornets.

The deals cannot be finalized until July 6, when the league moratorium on such moves is lifted.

It’s another blockbuster for the league, which has seen Giannis Antetokounmpo getting traded by Milwaukee to Miami for a package that includes Tyler Herro, a move that followed the Randle deal before the draft.

Reid, 26, has spent all seven of his NBA seasons with the Timberwolves.

After reaching the Western Conference finals in 2024 and 2025, the Timberwolves stagnated at times last season and were ousted in six games in the second round of the playoffs by the runner-up San Antonio Spurs.

President of basketball operations Tim Connelly has never been shy about aggressive pursuit of roster improvement, from the package of draft picks he sent the Utah Jazz in 2022 for defensive ace Rudy Gobert shortly after taking the job in Minnesota, to the stunning trade of franchise cornerstone Karl-Anthony Towns to the New York Knicks two years ago.

To make this work, the Timberwolves had to give up one of the most popular players in their history in Reid, the 2023-24 NBA Sixth Man of the Year who would’ve been in line for a starting spot after the departure of Randle.

The 6-foot-11 Reid, who went undrafted out of LSU in 2019, worked his way into an excellent offensive player with a shooter’s touch from the outside who has the quickness to get to the rim. Playing through a painful shoulder injury this season, Reid appeared in 77 regular-season games while averaging 13.6 points and a career-best 6.2 rebounds per game.

Their five-game loss in 2025 to the eventual champion Oklahoma City Thunder and their defeat by the Spurs last month made clear to the Timberwolves that they’re not yet at the championship level they’ve been chasing since building their roster around 2020 first overall pick Anthony Edwards. Now they’ll have the third pick in that draft to play next to Ball, one of the few remaining pure point guards in a league that has evolved toward more volume scorers serving as the primary initiators of the offense.

Timberwolves coach Chris Finch lamented after the season his abrupt decision to make Edwards the starting point guard, a move Finch said last month set the whole team back.

Trusty veteran Mike Conley will be a free agent and is now more of a limited-role player, leaving Minnesota’s front office looking outward for ball-handling options. The agreement to bring back Ayo Dosunmu went a long way toward solidifying the backcourt for the long term, but he’s more of a combo guard who can thrive off the ball.

Connelly even hinted at a move like this on Tuesday night after the first round of the draft.

“We have to ensure that we’re creating as many good shots as possible, specifically for Ant, and whether that’s on our present roster or whether it’s looking outside of our team, it’s something that we certainly have to address,” Connelly said.

Hornets general manager Jeff Peterson decline to address the trade during a news conference Thursday in which the team introduced first-round draft picks Hannes Steinbach and Christian Anderson Jr.

“There will be a time when we will address the roster and the transactions and stuff,” Peterson said. “We want to make this day about Christian and Hannes. They have earned it.”

=====

REPORTS: CELTICS STILL SHOPPING JAYLEN BROWN

Celtics All-Star Jaylen Brown remains the subject of trade discussions despite Boston’s brass indicating he was sticking around, according to ESPN.

Brown was reportedly the central piece of the trade offer the Celtics made to the Bucks for Giannis Antetokounmpo before Milwaukee elected to take what it deemed as a better offer from the Miami Heat. NBA trades agreed to prior to the start of free agency are not official until next week.

ESPN reported talks involving other teams interested in Brown are ongoing.

Brown, who had a career year last season when he averaged 28.7 points, 6.9 rebounds and 5.1 assists, turns 30 in October and recently posted a video to social media in which he is training outdoors and proclaims his motivation to be better than ever next season.

Team president Brad Stevens said prior to the draft earlier this week that he held multiple face-to-face meetings with Brown and considers him “a big part of us.”

“I’m never going to predict the future. Every indication, everything I think about, over the last few years, has been building around those guys,” Stevens said of Brown and Jayson Tatum. “You never know. But at the same time, the one thing I want to make very clear is how valued he’s always been. He’s been amazing. He’s been an amazing teammate and a great person to be around.”

Brown just completed the second year of a five-year, $285.4 million contract. He finished sixth in NBA MVP voting and was named second-team All-NBA, playing most of the year without Tatum as the latter recovered from a torn Achilles.

The MVP of the NBA Finals and Eastern Conference finals when the Celtics won the title in 2008, Brown has played his entire career in Boston. In 674 games, he has averaged 20 points, 5.5 rebounds, 2.9 assists and one steal.

=====

REPORT: COBY WHITE AGREES TO 3-YEAR, $74M DEAL WITH HORNETS

Free agent guard Coby White plans to sign a three-year, $74 million contract to return to the Charlotte Hornets, ESPN reported on Thursday.

White is expected to step into a larger role with the Hornets after the team agreed to trade guards LaMelo Ball and Josh Green to the Minnesota Timberwolves, per multiple reports.

A North Carolina native and former Tar Heel, White was acquired by Charlotte on Feb. 4 in a trade with the Chicago Bulls.

White, 26, averaged 17.4 points, 4.0 assists and 3.4 rebounds in 50 games (26 starts) split between the Bulls and Hornets.

For his career, White has averaged 15.4 points, 3.9 assists and 3.6 rebounds in 472 regular-season games (251 starts). Chicago selected White with the seventh pick of the 2019 NBA Draft.

=====

SUNS FINALIZING DEAL TO BRING BACK MARK WILLIAMS ON $38 MILLION, 3-YEAR DEAL, AP SOURCE SAYS

PHOENIX (AP) — The Phoenix Suns are finalizing a deal to bring back center Mark Williams on a $38 million, three-year deal, a person familiar with the negotiations said on Thursday.

The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the deal — first reported by ESPN — has not been announced.

The 24-year-old Williams was a restricted free agent after scoring 11.7 points and grabbing eight rebounds per game last season. The 7-foot-1 big man played his first three seasons with the Charlotte Hornets before he was traded to the Suns in a draft day deal in 2025.

Williams — who was the No. 15 pick in the 2022 draft — has battled injuries throughout his career, but played in a career-high 60 games last season, including 55 starts.

He shot 64% from the field and averaged nearly a block per game.

The Suns have been busy over the past few days, re-signing several key pieces from last season. Collin Gillespie agreed to a $48 million, four-year deal last week while Jordan Goodwin agreed to a contract worth $19 million over three years.

During the draft earlier this week, the Suns moved up to grab Arizona native Koa Peat with the No. 30 selection.

===================================

WNBA

WNBA SUSPENDS ALYSSA THOMAS 1 GAME FOR HIT TO CAITLIN CLARK’S THROAT

NEW YORK (AP) — The WNBA has suspended Phoenix’s Alyssa Thomas for one game after she made contact with her fist to Caitlin Clark’s throat in Wednesday night’s matchup against Indiana.

It happened with 6:52 left in the second quarter and was deemed to be a non-basketball act. The league gave Thomas a Flagrant Foul 2 penalty for it. No foul was called on the play by officials.

The WNBA is allowed to review a game to reclassify a Flagrant foul or to classify as Flagrant any foul not called as such during a game.

Thomas will serve her suspension on Saturday when the Mercury visit the Toronto Tempo.

“It was egregious. The fact that it was a no-call … You got to call it,” said Fever coach Stephanie White after the game. “You’re coming in here aware of what happened two nights ago and that (expletive) still happens? Absolutely unacceptable.”

This isn’t the first time the league has upgraded a foul against Clark. Last season Marina Mabrey, when she was with Connecticut, received a technical foul in a game against Indiana. The league later upgraded it to a Flagrant 2. Over the years the NBA has had a few instances where the league upgraded a play that resulted in a suspension.

The two teams also played on Monday night and there were six technical fouls called and one ejection. Clark picked up her fifth technical of the season in that game. The team petitioned the league to have it rescinded, but the WNBA confirmed that the technical will stand.

The physical play carried over to Wednesday’s game which the Mercury won 111-109.

Clark left the game in the third quarter as she was dealing with a back issue. She appeared to tweak her back in the second quarter when she was fouled shooting a 3-pointer in the second quarter. She fell to the ground and was rubbing her back as she stood up. In the first quarter she went back to the tunnel and returned to the bench wearing a wrap around her back.

She finished the game with 19 points and eight assists in 20 minutes.

=====

MARINA MABREY TIES WNBA RECORD WITH 53 POINTS; TEMPO ROUT SPARKS

Marina Mabrey tied the WNBA’s single-game scoring record of 53 points behind a torrid 9-of-18 3-point shooting effort, and the Toronto Tempo cruised past the visiting Los Angeles Sparks 125-97 on Thursday.

Mabrey had already tied the league’s 3-point record when she hit nine in a June 19 win over Connecticut, establishing a then-career-high 37 points in the process. She eclipsed that mark three quarters into Thursday’s contest with 39, then erupted for another 14 to match A’ja Wilson (2023) and Liz Cambage (2018) for the scoring record.

Tempo coach Sandy Brondello told her players postgame, in a video posted by Prime sports, “I’ve been doing this for quite some time, and even I haven’t seen a shooting performance like that, Marina. It was amazing. You know who you are, you know what you can do and the confidence that you have is great.”

Toronto (9-9) never trailed, setting the tone early with a 19-6 run less than four minutes in behind a trio of triples from Mabrey, Maria Conde and Julie Allemand. The Tempo’s lead grew to as many as 35 points from there, with Toronto shooting a blistering 20 of 42 (47.6%) from beyond the arc as a team.

Conde finished 3 of 5 from beyond the arc on the way to 13 points. She also grabbed seven rebounds. Allemand was a perfect 3 of 3 from 3-point distance en route to 13 points and dished a career-high 14 assists. Laura Juskaite added 10 points and a game-high 12 boards off the bench.

Mabrey’s nine made 3-pointers, meanwhile, were nearly as many as Los Angeles (8-9) hit as a team. The Sparks went 11 of 38 (28.9%) from outside.

Beyond the trio of Nneka Ogwumike, Dearica Hamby and Rae Burrell, the Sparks generated little offense.

Ogwumike and Hamby each finished with 21 points, and Burrell added 17. Ogwumike also snared seven rebounds and Hamby grabbed a team-high nine.

Starting Los Angeles guards Erica Wheeler and Ariel Atkins were both mired in foul trouble, and the Sparks’ bench was without rotational forward Cameron Brink due to an ankle injury.

The Sparks came into the Thursday contest having split a pair with the expansion Tempo last month in Los Angeles, each competitive contests. But with season-long leading scorer Kelsey Plum sidelined due to a leg injury sustained in a Sunday win over New York, the Sparks sputtered early and never recovered.

===================================

MLB

MLB PROPOSES LIMITING MOST FREE AGENT CONTRACTS TO 5 YEARS AND 15% OF A TEAM’S SALARY CAP

Major League Baseball proposed limiting most free agent contracts to five years and 15% of a team’s salary cap and to eliminate deferred compensation, fleshing out details of a salary cap plan likely to spark a confrontation with the players’ association.

During a bargaining session Thursday at the union’s office, MLB said it would accept the union’s proposal granting free agency a year early for players who have reached age 30 if the union accepted the league’s salary cap system. MLB also proposed boosting the minimum salary from $780,000 to $1 million for those with two years of big league service.

MLB also proposed increasing the pre-arbitration bonus pool from $50 million to $65 million next year and $75 million by 2032, the sixth season of MLB’s proposed seven-year deal.

“These misleading offers are designed to look like ‘improvements’ but are of little or no value, given they are expressly conditioned on agreement to the league’s cap system which eliminates the free market, and ensures gains for one player only come at the expense of another,” union head Bruce Meyer said in a statement. “While MLB claims to be acting in the interest of fans, their proposals thus far are entirely consistent with owners’ long-held goals: suppressing player salaries and maximizing club profits.”

MLB also said it would agree to eliminate the qualifying offer for free agents that since its inception in 2012 has restricted the market for some players.

Bargaining started May 13 for a contract to replace the five-year deal that expires Dec. 1, and owners proposed a salary cap for the first time since the union fought off the system during a 7 1/2-month strike in 1994-95. MLB is expected to impose a lockout in December, halting free agent signings and trades.

“Owners’ attempts to pit players against players are nothing new,” Meyer said. “But they’ve failed in the past and will fail again now, because PA members remain unified.”

After the prior agreement expired in December 2021, intensive bargaining did not start until late February as the threat approached of losing regular-season games — along with revenue and salary. The sides reached an agreement on March 10, the 99th day of the lockout, preserving the 162-game schedule.

In the league’s cornerstone proposal, made last month, team spending would be capped next year at $245.3 million, using figures for luxury tax payrolls that include $20.1 million for benefits and the pre-arbitration bonus pool. It also would establish a payroll floor of $171.2 million, forcing several teams to spend more. The two-time World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers, baseball’s biggest spenders, had a $415.2 million payroll on opening day this year — around $170 million over the proposed cap.

“The biggest issue baseball fans want solved to strengthen the game is fixing the payroll disparity that leaves too many fans without hope of their team competing for a World Series title,” MLB spokesman Glen Caplin said in a statement. “Every other major U.S. sport has tackled this problem, and every year more small market teams in those leagues have a chance to win. The salary cap and floor proposal levels the playing field.”

As part of the plan, MLB would establish a “cornerstone player” similar to the NBA’s Bird rule, which would allow a team to re-sign a player at 16% of the cap. A free agent switching clubs would be limited to a $36.8 million salary next year and a re-signing player to $39.2 million.

Salaries for free agents in additional seasons of a multiyear contract would be limited to 5% increases, as would salaries for younger players in multiyear deals that cover potential free-agent seasons.

Contracts would be capped by service time: at $500 million and 12 years for those yet to make major league debuts, $461 million and 11 seasons for those with 0-1 years of service, $421 million and 10 years for 1-2, $382 million and nine seasons for 2-3, $343 million and eight years for 3-4, $304 million and seven years for 4-5, and $265 million and six years for free-agent eligible players.

Banning deferred compensation would eliminate a business practice used most prominently by the Dodgers, who owe just under $1.1 billion to 10 players from 2028-47. In addition, MLB would restrict bonus provisions in player contracts and mandate a standard award bonus package.

MLB said it would accept the union’s proposal to drop free-agent eligibility to five seasons of service from six for those turning 30 by the Nov. 1 of the offseason. MLB said 354 players on big league rosters as of Thursday would reach free agency a year earlier. MLB would start the change in the 2027-28 offseason.

As part of the minimum salary proposal, MLB said players with less than two years of service would have a $900,000 minimum and if earning a full year of service would get an additional $100,000 from the pre-arbitration bonus pool.

=====

CHICAGO CUBS ACQUIRE LEFT-HANDER DAVID PETERSON IN A TRADE WITH THE NEW YORK METS

NEW YORK (AP) — The Chicago Cubs have patched a hole in their depleted rotation by acquiring struggling left-hander David Peterson in a trade with the New York Mets.

The deal was announced before Thursday’s series finale between the teams at Citi Field.

The Cubs placed Ben Brown and Edward Cabrera on the 15-day injured list on Wednesday, adding to their injury woes in their rotation. Brown has a neck strain, and Cabrera is sidelined with a left hamstring strain.

Jameson Taillon, Cade Horton and Justin Steele also are on the IL. Matthew Boyd is set to come off the injured list and start in Brown’s spot on Thursday.

New York received minor league slugger infielder Cole Mathis in the trade. The 22-year-old Mathis, a second-round pick in the 2024 amateur draft, is batting .272 with 10 homers and 39 RBIs in 39 games over two stops this year.

The last-place Mets had dropped five in a row going into Thursday’s game.

The 30-year-old Peterson is 3-6 with a 6.09 ERA in eight starts and eight relief appearances this year. He is eligible for free agency after this season.

In a corresponding move, the Cubs designated right-hander Yosver Zulueta for assignment.

Peterson was selected by New York in the first round of the 2017 draft out of the University of Oregon. He made his major league debut in 2020, when he went 6-2 with a 3.44 ERA in nine starts and one relief appearance.

He was terrific for much of last year, making the NL All-Star team and throwing his first career shutout while going 8-5 with a 3.18 ERA in his first 24 starts. But he had a 10.36 ERA over his last six starts, and the rough finish carried over into this year.

He has a 10.97 ERA in three appearances this month. He allowed four earned runs and six hits in four innings in a 6-2 loss at Philadelphia on Sunday.

Peterson, who has a 52.9% groundball rate, could benefit from the change of scenery. Chicago has one of baseball’s best defensive infields, and New York committed six errors — all in the infield — during Wednesday night’s 10-5 loss to the Cubs in the second game of a doubleheader.

In other moves Thursday, the Mets placed infielder Marcus Semien on the 10-day injured list with a left hip flexor strain and recalled right-hander Daniel Duarte and infielder Ronny Mauricio from Triple-A Syracuse.

=====

MLB ROUNDUP: RAYS TAKE NO-NO INTO 9TH, JUNIOR CAMINERO HITS 3 HRS

Junior Caminero recorded his first career three-homer performance and the Tampa Bay Rays carried a no-hit bid into the ninth inning of a 13-2 victory over the Kansas City Royals on Thursday afternoon in St. Petersburg, Fla.

Ian Seymour (4-1) struck out seven batters and walked one over 6 2/3 innings in relief of opener Casey Legumina, who worked the first 1 1/3 frames. Craig Kimbrel gave up a two-run homer to Carter Jensen with one out in the ninth inning to break up the no-hit bid.

Caminero homered in the first, fifth and eighth innings, finishing with six RBIs as the Rays pounded out 15 hits and gained a split in the four-game series. Seth Lugo (3-5) gave up seven runs on seven hits in five innings of work for Kansas City.

Jonathan Aranda had three hits and two runs for Tampa Bay, which still has just one official no-hitter in franchise history, recorded by Matt Garza in a 5-0 win over the Detroit Tigers on July 26, 2010.

Phillies 10, Nationals 5

Bryce Harper’s tiebreaking two-run homer ignited a five-run ninth inning as visiting Philadelphia erupted late once again to defeat Washington.

For the third straight day, the Phillies prevailed against Washington with their backs against the wall. J.T. Realmuto added an RBI double before Derek Hill punctuated the rally with a two-run shot into the left field seats. Orion Kerkering (5-0) worked a scoreless eighth to get the win in relief of Cristopher Sanchez, who allowed five runs and seven hits in five innings.

Curtis Mead homered and Jacob Young drove in two runs for the Nationals.

Pirates 5, Mariners 1

Henry Davis and Brandon Lowe each homered and finished with two hits and two RBIs, helping host Pittsburgh prevail over Seattle.

The Pirates’ clutch hits backed up a strong start from Bubba Chandler (3-7), who gave up one run on five hits with four strikeouts in 5 1/3 innings. Pirates relievers combined to pitch 3 2/3 scoreless innings.

Mariners starter Bryce Miller (3-2) struck out 11 and did not issue a walk but allowed three runs on five hits over 5 2/3 innings. J.P. Crawford drove in the Mariners’ lone run.

Athletics 9, Giants 6

Jonah Heim tied the game with a single, Lawrence Butler produced the go-ahead run with a hit and Max Muncy delivered two insurance runs with a single as the visiting Athletics plated four runs in the ninth inning to overtake San Francisco, avoiding a three-game sweep.

The A’s scored the game’s final seven runs after a bases-clearing triple by Jung Hoo Lee and a two-run homer by Victor Bericoto converted a one-run Giants deficit into a 6-2 lead in the sixth. A two-run single by Shea Langeliers in the seventh and an RBI single by Jeff McNeil in the eighth got the A’s back within 6-5.

Henry Bolte ignited the rally with an infield single off Giants right-hander Caleb Kilian (2-4). Geoff Hartlieb (1-0), who hadn’t factored into a major league decision since 2020 with the Pittsburgh Pirates, was credited with the win after tossing two scoreless relief innings.

Astros 2, Tigers 1

Tatsuya Imai threw six shutout innings to help Houston edge host Detroit in the opener of their four-game series.

Imai (5-3) allowed two hits, struck out 10 and walked one to improve to 3-0 this month. AJ Blubaugh pitched two innings of scoreless relief before Enyel De Los Santos closed the ninth, when he allowed one run, for his fifth save of the season.

Taylor Trammell homered and Jeremy Pena delivered two of the game’s 10 hits and scored a run for the Astros, who have won three in a row. Tigers starter Troy Melton (4-1) trying to win his fourth straight start, lost despite allowing just one run and one hit over six innings. He struck out six and didn’t walk a batter on 88 pitches.

Rangers 6, Blue Jays 5

Wyatt Langford hit a three-run homer, MacKenzie Gore pitched seven effective innings and Texas led 6-0 before holding off host Toronto.

Gore (5-6) allowed three runs, four hits and one walk with five strikeouts. Jacob Latz picked up his 15th save despite allowing two runs in the ninth. Jake Burger added a two-run blast and Joc Pederson also homered for the Rangers.

Kazuma Okamoto had two hits, including a two-run homer in the ninth, for the Blue Jays, who have lost three straight. Kevin Gausman (4-6) completed six innings, allowing six runs, 10 hits and two walks with four strikeouts.

Red Sox 6, Yankees 3

Caleb Durbin hit a two-run home run and Connelly Early struck out nine in six innings as host Boston scored six unearned runs to beat New York, which committed four errors.

Durbin’s home run came against Yankees starter Cam Schlittler (8-4) and broke a 2-2 tie in the fifth inning. The Red Sox scored four times in the inning. Early (7-5) gave up two runs on five hits and walked one.

Jose Caballero hit a solo homer for New York, which had the bases loaded with two outs in the ninth, but Aroldis Chapman retired Ben Rice on a grounder back to the mound to pick up his 15th save. Schlittler recorded nine strikeouts and gave up five hits and two walks in five innings.

Cubs 4, Mets 3 (10 innings)

Pete Crow-Armstrong’s tiebreaking hit in the 10th inning allowed visiting Chicago to finish off a four-game sweep of New York.

Crow-Armstrong, who finished 2-for-5, has a 14-game hitting streak and has reached base safely in 27 consecutive games, both career highs. His double in the 10th drove in automatic runner Matt Shaw. Michael Conforto, Alex Bregman and Ian Happ all had run-scoring hits in the sixth for the Cubs, who have won six of seven.

Eric Wagaman delivered a pinch-hit two-run homer in the sixth and Jared Young went deep leading off the seventh for the Mets, who have lost six straight to fall to 8-14 this month.

========================================

NFL

DETROIT LIONS PLAYER TERRION ARNOLD IS CHARGED WITH DIRECTING ATTACK AGAINST 3 PEOPLE IN FLORIDA

DETROIT (AP) — Detroit Lions player Terrion Arnold was charged Thursday in Florida with leading a plot to detain and pistol-whip three people whom he believed had stolen from him, crimes that could carry a sentence of up to life in prison.

Two people also charged in the case have pleaded guilty and agreed to help Tampa-area authorities prosecute Arnold, court records show.

“Fame doesn’t get you out of criminal charges or our pursuit of justice and holding criminals accountable,” Tampa Police Chief Lee Bercaw said.

Three men in their late teens were held at gunpoint, battered, pistol-whipped and robbed in a Tampa apartment on Feb. 4, police said, three days after personal property worth more than $250,000 was reported stolen from Arnold and others at an Airbnb rental in Largo, about 20 miles (30 kilometers) west of the city.

It turned out, however, that the victims had nothing to do with the theft, investigators said.

Arnold, 23, was the “primary conspirator” in the attack, police said.

“He’s absolutely denying these allegations,” defense attorney R. Timothy Jansen said in Hillsborough County court.

Arnold briefly appeared in court by video as a judge announced charges of kidnapping, armed robbery and conspiracy. He surrendered to authorities Wednesday and will remain in jail at least until a detention hearing Monday.

Denise White, the CEO of EAG Sports Management, an agency that represents Arnold, said there’s “no credible evidence” against him, only accounts from others who may have an incentive to get a lighter sentence.

At least seven people face charges, including two women who pleaded guilty Wednesday and are cooperating. Jasmine Randazzo, 19, was immediately sentenced to four years in prison for kidnapping, conspiracy and robbery with a gun, records show.

The victims told police that Arnold’s friends lured them to an apartment, held them at gunpoint and hit them, all the while streaming the attack to Arnold. Police said Arnold was giving orders in a group chat and later arrived at the apartment.

“No one has the right to take the law into their own hands. A dispute over missing property does not justify kidnapping, violence or retaliation,” State Attorney Suzy Lopez said.

Arnold was a first-round pick in the 2024 draft after playing at the University of Alabama. He had 31 tackles and an interception last season for the Lions. The Lions and the NFL said they were aware of Arnold’s arrest but declined to comment.

======================================

NHL

THE TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS HAVE THE TOP PICK IN THE NHL DRAFT. WHO WILL THEY CHOOSE?

The two-day NHL draft will be held in Buffalo, New York, starting with the first round on Friday night. The Toronto Maple Leafs have the No. 1 pick after winning the draft lottery. The San Jose Sharks are scheduled to pick second for the second straight year, followed by Vancouver, Buffalo and the New York Rangers. Six of the top prospects:

Gavin McKenna, right wing, Penn State/NCAA

Hometown: Whitehorse, Yukon.

Measurables: 5-foot-11, 170 pounds. Turned 18 in December.

Expected to be selected: No. 1 by the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Accomplishments/background: Pegged as his age-group’s top prospect two years ago, McKenna has matched expectations. That included last year, in jumping from the Western Hockey League to face older and more physical NCAA competition. Following an inconsistent start, McKenna scored 32 of his 51 points in his final 17 games, and finished tied for fourth in the nation in scoring. He was the Big Ten’s freshman of the year, a two-time national rookie of the month and Hobey Baker Award finalist. At Medicine Hat, McKenna scored 79 goals and 244 points in 133 career games. In 2025, he became the third-youngest player to earn CHL David Branch Player of the Year honors behind only Sidney Crosby and John Tavares. McKenna has an opportunity to become just the sixth Yukon-born player drafted, and the highest pick after Buffalo chose Dylan Cozens seventh in 2019. He’s a distant cousin by marriage with Connor Bedard, who was selected No. 1 by Chicago in 2023.

NHL Central Scouting report: “Shows exceptional poise and maturity in his game, demonstrating a high hockey IQ that allows him to dictate play. … Projects as a player with pro-level pace and vision, someone who can drive a line and elevate those around him.”

Ivar Stenberg, left wing, Frolunda/Swedish Elite League

Hometown: Gothenburg, Sweden.

Measurables: 5-foot-11, 183 pounds. Turned 18 in September.

Expected to be selected: Has a chance to go No. 1, and won’t fall past No. 4

Accomplishments/background: Led all teenagers in Sweden’s top league with 11 goals and 33 points in 43 games. His 33 points were the fifth-most by a player 18 or younger in a group that includes twins Daniel and Henrik Sedin. In January, he was part of Sweden’s gold medal-winning team at the world junior championships; his 10 points (four goals, six assists) tied for fifth-most in tournament history. His brother, Otto Stenberg, was selected 25th overall by St. Louis in the 2023 draft.

NHL Central Scouting report: “His blend of speed, first-step quickness and balance makes him a dangerous, dynamic skater who can both create and finish plays. … Though still physically developing, his compete level and confidence make him effective in board battles and transition play.”

Chase Reid, defense, Sault Ste. Marie/OHL

Hometown: Pontiac, Michigan.

Measurables: 6-foot 2, 195 pounds. Turned 18 in December.

Expected to be selected: A top-5 selection, and also mentioned as potential No. 1 candidate.

Accomplishments/background: Finished second among OHL blue liners in averaging 1.07 points per game with 18 goals and 30 assists in 45 outings. He missed 17 games with in injury before returning for the playoffs. Has used being cut by the USHL’s Waterloo Black Hawks as motivation, and leading to decision to play in OHL. Began career as a forward before switching to defense while playing for Detroit Honeybaked Triple-A program.

NHL Central Scouting report: “A take-charge type of defenseman that dictates the game. … Not afraid to mix it up and play physical. … The complete package.”

Caleb Malhotra, center, Brantford/OHL

Hometown: Victoria, British Columbia.

Measurables: 6-foot-2, 182 pounds. Turned 18 on June 2.

Expected to be selected: Big surprise if he goes past Vancouver at No. 3, with the Canucks coached by his father, former NHL player Manny Malhotra.

Accomplishments/background: Regarded as the top center in the draft class and could go No. 1. Finished second among OHL rookies with 84 points (29 goals, 55 assists) in 67 games. He also led all rookies in playoff scoring with 26 points in 15 games, including a five-point outing. His father was a 16-year NHL veteran, and was coaching Vancouver’s AHL affiliate before being hired last month to take over as Canucks coach. Malhotra’s mother, Joann, is the sister of two-time NBA MVP Steve Nash.

NHL Central Scouting report: “The type of player you want on the ice in any situation and plays the pro-style game with high-end skills, work habits and compete.”

Alberts Smits, defense, Munchen/German Elite League

Hometown: Valmiera, Latvia.

Measurables: 6-foot-3, 205 pounds. Turned 18 in December.

Expected to be selected: Anywhere between No. 4 (Buffalo) and No. 8 (Winnipeg).

Accomplishments/background: Played in two pro leagues and represented Latvia at the Milan Cortina Games. Had 13 points in 17 games for Jukurit in Finland, and closed season in Munchen, where he had two goals and six points in 10 playoff outings. He had two assists in four games at the Olympics. Has chance to be highest-picked Latvian-born player after Buffalo selected Zemgus Girgensons 14th in 2012. Smits left his homeland to play in Finland at 13.

NHL Central Scouting report: “Offensively, Smits is dangerous from the blue line, with a heavy, accurate one-timer and the instincts to quarterback the power play. His calmness under pressure and maturity on the puck make him look like a seasoned pro rather than a teenager.”

Keaton Verhoeff, defense, North Dakota/NCAA

Hometown: Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta.

Measurables: 6-foot-3, 208 pounds. Turned 18 on June 19.

Expected to be selected: Could go as high as No. 4 to Buffalo, and could be the first blue-liner chosen.

Accomplishments/background: Led draft-eligible NCAA defensemen with 20 points (six goals, 14 assists). Made the jump from WHL’s Victoria, where the previous season he led the league among rookie defensemen with 21 goals in 63 games. Began as a goalie before switching to defense at 11.

NHL Central Scouting report: “Combination of size and skill has him in the conversation for the top prospect. Can impact the game from his position like few in this draft class. Very complete player.”

=====

PANTHERS ACQUIRE F GARNET HATHAWAY FROM FLYERS

The Florida Panthers acquired veteran forward Garnet Hathaway from the Philadelphia Flyers on Thursday.

The Panthers also received a 2026 sixth-round draft pick in exchange for the Flyers’ fifth-round selection in 2026 and fourth-round pick in 2027. Philadelphia will also retain 50% of Hathaway’s standard player contract.

“Garnet is a physical and highly competitive player who will complement our group well,” said Bill Zito, Florida’s president of hockey operations and general manager. “We’re excited to add his veteran presence to our group for the upcoming season.”

Hathaway, 34, had a goal and two assists in 66 games in his third season with the Flyers in 2025-26, adding a team-high 252 hits with 58 blocks and 59 penalty minutes.

He was Philadelphia’s nominee for the King Clancy Memorial Trophy, which recognizes leadership on and off the ice and humanitarian contributions.

Hathaway has 163 points (76 goals, 87 assists) and 739 penalty minutes in 672 career games with the Calgary Flames (2015-19), Washington Capitals (2019-23), Boston Bruins (2023) and Flyers.

=====

SABRES SIGN F ZACH BENSON TO $54.5M DEAL THROUGH 2032-33

The Buffalo Sabres signed 21-year-old forward Zach Benson to a seven-year, $52.5 million deal, keeping him from becoming a restricted free agent.

Instead, Benson now is under contract through the 2032-33 season, the club announced Wednesday night.

In his third NHL season in 2025-26, Benson had a career-high 43 points (13 goals, 30 assists) in 65 games. Injuries caused him to miss 13 games at the start of the season.

After a 17-game drought, Benson scored his first goal of the season on Dec. 11, and in 48 games after that, he tallied 32 points (13 assists, 19 goals) with a plus-27 rating. He added five goals and four assists in 13 playoff games.

Selected by Buffalo in the first round (13th overall) of the 2023 NHL Draft, Benson has appeared in 211 regular-season games and has 101 points (34 goals, 67 assists).

Last month, Sabres general manager Jarmo Kekalainen said bringing back Benson was a priority.

“I see him as a true core piece that fills all the boxes,” the GM said. “I can’t say enough good things about Zach Benson. He’s got skill, he’s got hockey sense, he’s got instincts, he’s relentless, he’s a competitor. What a great playoff he had and, again, I’m so excited about the level that he can get to, still.”

=====================================

GOLF

ERIC COLE LEADS PACKED FIELD AT TRAVELERS CHAMPIONSHIP

Eric Cole’s pitch-in eagle at the 13th hole helped him post a 7-under-par 63 and take the first-round lead at the Travelers Championship on Thursday in Cromwell, Conn.

World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, the 2024 winner of this event, posted a bogey-free 64 later on Thursday to join a tie for second with Ben Griffin, Bud Cauley, Englishman Matt Fitzpatrick, Colombia’s Nico Echavarria and Norwegian Kristoffer Reitan.

The event at TPC River Highlands is the PGA Tour’s final $20 million signature event of the regular season. All 72 players in the field will see the weekend as there is no 36-hole cut.

After making the turn in 2 under, Cole holed a 12-foot birdie putt at the par-3 11th and parred No. 12 before missing the green to the right at the par-5 13th. He pitched his ball over a mound on that side of the green and it rolled downhill on a perfect line to the cup.

“13’s a relatively simple hole,” said Cole, who went on to birdie twice more in the final stretch. “14, if you hit a good tee shot it’s a wedge. 15’s drivable. 16’s not overly long. And then the last two with the wind direction are shorter irons or wedges. So I would say from 13 in is really where you can kind of score.”

Cole, 38, is in prime position for his first win on the PGA Tour after collecting 12 victories during his journeyman career on the Minor League Golf Tour.

Cole, who has four top-10s this year, played his way into the signature event by finishing atop the Aon Swing 5 points race for a period spanning the Myrtle Beach Classic through the Canadian Open.

Cole was asked if he felt any urgency to collect his first win.

“No, not really urgency,” he said. “I mean, obviously it’s everybody’s goal, I think. I’ve now played a decent amount on tour and winning is something I want to do. But, yeah, I just am trying to get myself in that spot where have I more opportunities and then hopefully just the more I do that, the more likely it is that I’ll win.”

Of the group tied for second, Echavarria, Griffin and Cauley went bogey-free in addition to Scheffler, who is still after his first win since January at the American Express.

Scheffler was paired with his friend Sam Burns, and they shared a rental house this week. When Scheffler realized he forgot to pack a belt to come to the course, Burns ran back to the house to grab it for him.

“I’ve definitely forgotten stuff, but this was probably an all-time week to forget my belt, just in how convenient it is to get from the house to the course,” Scheffler said.

Fitzpatrick is back in the mix after winning three tournaments earlier this year, the only player on tour who’s done so thus far.

“Obviously a great start today and just feel like that, you know, there’s still a lot of big tournaments coming up, which is really nice,” Fitzpatrick said. “If I can hopefully find some form coming into these, the final stretch, particularly in Europe with the Open Championship and then obviously the playoffs, it would be nice to end the season on a real high.”

The group at 5-under 65 includes PGA Championship winner Aaron Rai and fellow Englishman Justin Rose, Viktor Hovland of Norway, Corey Conners of Canada, Patrick Cantlay and Brandt Snedeker.

Burns posted a 4-under 66 along with Russell Henley, Brian Harman, Akshay Bhatia, J.J. Spaun and Harris English. Xander Schauffele is another stroke back at 3-under 67 along with Keegan Bradley, who won this event in 2023 and 2025, and Englishman Tommy Fleetwood, who led on the back nine last year before Bradley caught up and overtook him.

=====

INA YOON AHEAD BY 2 AFTER OPENING-ROUND 63 AT WOMEN’S PGA

South Korea’s Ina Yoon blazed to a bogey-free, 9-under-par 63 on Thursday to lead after the first round of the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship in Chaska, Minn.

Yoon, in her second year on the LPGA Tour, started on the back nine at Hazeltine National Golf Club and carded birdies at Nos. 14, 15, 17, 18 before another five in a six-hole stretch from Nos. 3-8.

“I didn’t know I’m hitting like that much birdie today,” said Yoon, whose best career finishes were a pair of fourth places in April. “Yeah, it was fun to play out there.”

She hit 15 of 18 greens in regulation, 8 of 14 fairways and just 24 total putts. Afterward, she credited her iron play and putting.

“Just try to think nothing,” Yoon, 23, said of her mindset during the round. “Focus on what I need to do. Focus on process. That part, I think, I did great today.”

Australia’s Karis Davidson is alone in second after a 7-under 65 which began and ended with two of her eight birdies. Davidson, who also started on the back nine, countered her lone bogey at the par-4 No. 6 with birdies at bounce-back birdie at No. 7 and made a 16-foot birdie putt at No. 9.

“I think I just need to keep enjoying it and just try and hit the best shots I can; just really embrace the experience,” Davidson, seeking her first win since joining the tour in 2022, said of being in contention early at a major. “I think it’s pretty special to be up top after Day 1, so I’m just going to embrace it.”

Alexa Pano and South Korea’s A Lim Kim are tied for third after each shot 67. A three-way tie for fifth at 4-under 68 is shared by Megan Khang, South Korea’s Hye-Jin Choi and Germany’s Aline Krauter.

World No. 1 Nelly Korda, who is pursuing her third consecutive major title this year, shot 2-under 70 and is tied for 19th. She won at the Chevron Championship and the U.S. Women’s Open to kick off the women’s major season.

Korda lost a stroke with a bogey at the par-3 No. 4, then gained it back and more with consecutive birdies at the par-4 sixth and par-5 seventh to make the turn at 1-under 35. Korda birdied Nos. 11, 13 and 15 to get to 4 under before a double bogey at the par-4 16th set her back. Her tee shot there landed in a creek.

She hit 9 of 14 fairways and made 12 of 18 greens in regulation while totaling 28 putts. Korda said she had a “solid” round.

“Honestly just made one bad swing, which ended up in a double. But overall, pretty happy with my day,” Korda said. “… So I put myself into a good position. I’m really happy with the first day. You can’t win it on the first day, but you can definitely lose it. Yeah, just overall happy with a solid start.”

Defending champion Minjee Lee of Australia shot 1-under 71 and is tied for 27th.

The purse of $13 million this week is the largest in women’s golf history, with $1.95 million awarded to the winner.

=====

U.S. OPEN RATINGS TICK UP BUT STILL TRAIL ’26 PGA CHAMPIONSHIP

The U.S. Open’s final round on Sunday drew an average of 5.5 million viewers for NBC.

The final-round audience increased by 2% from the 5.4 million viewers who tuned in to last year’s U.S. Open final round at Oakmont Country Club.

Wyndham Clark won last week’s tournament at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club at Southampton, N.Y., for his second U.S. Open title in four years.

Sunday’s audience peaked at 9.3 million viewers, while third-round viewership on Saturday averaged 3.7 million viewers, up 3% from last year.

The tournament was the second-most-watched East Coast-based U.S. Open since 2013, trailing the 2024 event’s 5.9 million viewers who tuned in to see Bryson DeChambeau best Rory McIlroy at Pinehurst No. 2 in North Carolina.

The 2023 tournament, played at Los Angeles Country Club, averaged 6.2 million final-round viewers.

NBC’s Peacock simulcast of its coverage was the most-streamed golf event in NBC Sports history, up 13% overall compared to the 2025 U.S. Open.

But for the first time since 2021, the U.S. Open audience on Sunday was smaller than the PGA Championship’s TV audience and finished last among final rounds of the three majors played thus far this year.

The Masters averaged 13.99 million viewers on CBS; the PGA Championship, also on CBS, lured an average of 5.76 million.

=====================================

INDIANA SPORTS NEWS AND HEADLINES

COVENANT CHRISTIAN AND INDIANASRN: CELEBRATING 18 YEARS OF PARTNERSHIP

Fall 2028 marks a special milestone as Covenant Christian and IndianaSRN celebrate 18 years of partnership, a relationship built on a shared vision, commitment, and passion for showcasing Christian student-athletes.

Nearly two decades ago, Andy Gossel and I shared the same dream—to provide Covenant Christian families, alumni, and supporters with professional, reliable broadcasts that would allow them to follow the school’s athletic programs from anywhere. Today, with David Pfeifer helping steer the ship, that dream has become a reality.

What began as an idea has grown into one of the premier high school sports broadcasting partnerships in Indiana. Together, Covenant Christian and IndianaSRN have discovered what works best for the school, its athletes, and its loyal fan base.

Each year, IndianaSRN produces a 40-game broadcast package, featuring selected contests across multiple sports and every athletic season. Thousands of Covenant families and friends have been able to watch games live, ensuring they never miss the action.

The numbers tell an incredible story. While the national average viewing time for live sports streams is approximately 20 minutes, Covenant Christian broadcasts average at least 40 minutes of viewing time per game. That level of engagement reflects the passion of the Covenant community and the quality of the broadcasts.

Perhaps the greatest impact has been on extended families. Grandparents, aunts, uncles, relatives, friends, and alumni—many living across the country—have been able to stay connected with Covenant Christian athletics and celebrate the accomplishments of its student-athletes.

This season, IndianaSRN once again will provide a comprehensive schedule of broadcasts covering every sports season, giving fans more opportunities than ever to follow the Warriors.

Businesses and individuals who would like to support this Christian-based athletic broadcast ministry through sponsorship opportunities are encouraged to contact Keith Meyers at Coach@IndianaSRN.org.

IndianaSRN extends its sincere thanks to the entire Covenant Christian community, administration, coaches, athletes, and families for 18 years of trust and support. Together, we’ve proven that when a school and a broadcast partner share the same vision, extraordinary things can happen.

A dream that began 18 years ago continues to thrive—and the best is yet to come.

Thank you for allowing IndianaSRN to be part of the Covenant Christian family.

=====

DECADE OF SPORTS ON INDIANASRN

IndianaSRN is excited to announce plans to webcast more than 40 high school football games during the 2026 fall season. Averaging four games each week, the schedule will feature some of the top teams and rivalries from Central and Southern Indiana. The total does not include potential coverage of IHSAA State Tournament and playoff games, which will be announced later in the season. As Indiana’s leader in high school sports webcasting for more than a decade, IndianaSRN continues its commitment to bringing fans closer to the action than ever before.

“Our crews are looking forward to another outstanding football season,” said Keith Meyers, Vice President of Operations for IndianaSRN. “With state-of-the-art equipment, enhanced graphics, and experienced broadcasters, we are committed to delivering a first-class viewing experience for fans, families, and communities across Indiana.” IndianaSRN broadcasts regularly attract thousands of viewers, providing unmatched exposure for student-athletes, coaches, schools, and sponsors.

In addition to its extensive high school football schedule, IndianaSRN is proud to expand its coverage of the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference (HCAC) this fall. The network will carry 15 HCAC football games on Saturday afternoons, giving fans even more opportunities to follow collegiate football throughout the season. This expansion reflects IndianaSRN ongoing commitment to showcasing outstanding athletic competition at multiple levels.

Football is only part of IndianaSRN comprehensive sports coverage. The network’s volleyball and soccer schedules are already filling up with exciting matchups from around the state. IndianaSRN prides itself on delivering quality broadcasts and putting viewers in the front-row seat for every game. Schools interested in adding their events to the IndianaSRN schedule are encouraged to contact the network at Coach@IndianaSRN.org. There is still room on the schedule, and all schools are welcome to participate in IndianaSRN growing coverage throughout the 2026-27 athletic year.

================================

INDIANA HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL

Warren Central senior-to-be Sean Fox made his college decision Thursday. It was really no surprise as Fox chose Kentucky. Fox (6-5, 228) is a 4-Star player, and is the #2 recruit in Indiana according to 247 Sports. Fox chose Kentucky over Georgia, Clemson, Arizona State, and Arkansas.

================================

INDIANA HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL

Former Carmel standout Peter Suder has signed a contract with the Los Angeles Lakers. Suder played his college basketball at Miami OH.

===============================

INDIANAPOLIS INDIANS

 After Dominic Fletcher scored on a wild pitch in the eighth inning, the Indianapolis Indians cut the deficit to 6-4 with runners on second and third, but that run concluded the scoring as they lost to the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders on Thursday night at Victory Field.

Both the Indians (1-2, 32-46) and the RailRiders (2-1, 39-38) traded blows in the second inning. Jhostynxon Garcia tied the score 1-1 from Nick Cimillo’s sacrifice fly following a Tyler Hardman home run to left field in the top of the inning.

Hardman left the yard again in the third inning and Ernesto Martinez went back-to-back with him, putting the RailRiders up, 5-1. Cimillo posted another sac fly in the fourth inning, cutting the deficit to 5-2. Indy’s rally fell short in the final innings.

Connor Wietgrefe (L, 0-1) made his Triple-A debut for the Indians, allowing six runs (5er) in 6.0 innings. Followed by shutout performances from Cam Sanders (2.0ip) and Hunter Stratton (1.0ip) to close the game out.

Dom Hamel (W, 3-8) pitched the first 5.0 innings for the RailRiders allowing three runs (2er). Carlos Lagrange (S, 1) logged his first Triple-A save, recording the final four outs. The Indians were walked nine times in this contest and had 13 runners left on base.

The next contest of the six-game series between the RailRiders and Indians is on Friday night at 7:05 PM. RHP Noah Davis (1-6, 4.81) will take the mound for the Indians and RHP Elmer Rodríguez (3-3, 3.00) will throw for the RailRiders.

===================================

INDIANA MEN’S BASKETBALL

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Former Indiana wings Tucker DeVries and Lamar Wilkerson signed NBA Exhibit 10 contracts following the 2026 NBA Draft.

An Exhibit 10 contract is a one-year, non-guaranteed NBA training camp deal for the minimum salary. It allows teams to bring a player to camp, retain their G League rights, and offers players a special bonus if they are waived and remain with the team’s G League affiliate

DeVries inked with the Boston Celtics, while Wilkerson signed with the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Tucker DeVries, F, Boston Celtics

DeVries was one of three Hoosiers to start all 32 games during his only season playing in the Cream and Crimson. He averaged 13.7 points, a team-best 5.3 rebounds, 3.3 assists, and 1.1 steals in 34.2 minutes per game. DeVries shot 39.7% (144-of-363) from the floor, 33.3% (82-of-246) from the 3-point line, and 85.9% (67-of-78) from the free throw line. He scored at least 15 points in 14 games, grabbed five or more rebounds in 18 games, and handed out five or more assists 10 times. He made multiple 3-pointers in 23 contests. DeVries posted a team-high three double-doubles.

Lamar Wilkerson, G, Oklahoma City Thunder

Wilkerson was one of three Hoosiers to start all 32 games in his lone season in Bloomington. The Sam Houston transfer averaged a team-best 20.9 points per game to go with 3.5 rebounds, 2.4 assists, and 1.0 steal in 34.0 minutes per outing. His scoring output marked the highest average for an Indiana guard since 2007-08 (Eric Gordon). Wilkerson provided the 11th most total points scored in a single season at Indiana (669 points). He upped scoring average to 23.2 points per contest in Big Ten Conference play, the most B1G points per game by a Hoosier since 1970-71 (George McGinnis). He shot 46.3% (227-of-490) from the field, 37.8% (104-of-275) from the 3-point line, and 88.8% (111-of-125) from the free throw line. He became the second Indiana player (Steve Alford; 1986-87) to make at least 100 3-pointers in a season and set the single-season IU record for made 3-pointers in Big Ten play with 70. Wilkerson scored 10-plus points in 29 games, 20-plus 16 times, 30-plus in four games, and netted 40-plus points twice. He made at least four 3-point field goals in 14 games.

=====

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Members of the Indiana men’s basketball team will be representing the USA in the fourth edition of the FISU (International University Sports Federation) America Games in Lima, Peru, later this summer. In that capacity, an exhibition against Collège Jean-de-Brébeuf, a secondary school based out of Montreal, Quebec, has been scheduled for 7 p.m. ET on Wednesday, July 15, at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall.
 
Doors will open to the public at 5:30 p.m. ET. Parking around the facility (Gates 2, 4, 12, and 14) will be free.
 
Tickets will be sold here: https://iuhoosiers.evenue.net/events/MBSG
 
Donors and season ticket holders will be contacted for presale opportunities.
 
The game will be played using standard NCAA rules.
 
About FISU America Games
Since its founding in 1949, the International University Sports Federation is the key driver to expand the role and reach of university sport around the world. FISU believes that sports values and sports practice work in perfect synchronicity within one’s university studies.
 
FISU offers opportunity and inspiration to students around the world to play sport. The health, wellbeing, and experiences that students gain from sport help them become active members in our global society.
 
UniUSA is the official representative and governing body for the United States in the FISU America Games.  All logistics managed by BTI Events LLC. 

About the Hoosiers

The Indiana men’s basketball program, under second-year head coach Darian DeVries, brought in seven transfers in junior guards Markus Burton (Notre Dame), Darren Harris (Duke), Bryce Linday (Villanova), and Jaeden Mustaf (Georgia Tech), senior guard Justin Monden (Maryland Eastern Shore), and junior bigs Aiden Sherrell (Alabama) and Samet Yigitoglu (SMU).

The Hoosiers return sophomore forward Trent Sisley (4.2ppg, 2.8rpg) and brought in a four-man recruiting class of forwards Vaughn Karvala (Bella Vista Prep) and Trevor Manhertz (Christ School), guard Prince-Alexander Moody (St. Paul VI), and center Clemens Sokolov (Germany).

=================================

INDIANA BASEBALL

SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The second weekend of next year’s baseball season will take head coach Jeff Mercer and Indiana down south for a four-team, three-game round-robin weekend in South Carolina. The Hoosiers will play a trio of contests in Spartanburg at the home of the Hub City Spartanburgers, the High-A affiliate of the Texas Rangers.

IU has grown accustomed to playing a round-robin tournament early in the non-conference portion of the schedule. This is the sixth-straight season that the Hoosiers will play a postseason style tournament at the beginning of the year. Last year, IU went down to Jacksonville and played LSU, UCF and Notre Dame at the home of the Marlins’ Triple-A affiliate.

The Hoosiers will be joined by Austin Peay, UNCW and Wofford during the weekend in South Carolina. UNCW and Wofford each won 30-or-more games a season ago and finished in the top 125 of the final RPI. Austin Peay is just a year removed from winning 45 games in 2025.

Full matchups, dates and times will be set for the Spartanburg College Baseball Series at a later date. IU’s full 2027 schedule will be released in the fall.

================================

PURDUE MEN’S BASKETBALL

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – The NBA signings didn’t end when the draft concluded Wednesday night as Oscar Cluff and Fletcher Loyer have both signed free-agent contracts to appear in NBA Summer League action starting next month.

The signings cap off an outstanding two-day stretch for the Boilermakers after Braden Smith (38th) and Trey Kaufman-Renn (59th) were selected in the Wednesday’s second round of the NBA Draft.

Cluff was signed to an NBA Summer League contract with the Houston Rockets, while Fletcher Loyer signed an exhibit-10 contract with the Los Angeles Clippers.

Cluff had a strong season for the Boilermakers during the 2025-26 campaign, being named to the Big Ten All-Tournament Team as well as the NCAA All-West Regional squad. Cluff averaged 10.6 points, 7.5 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 0.9 blocks per game in 24.7 minutes per outing.

He shot 68.3 percent from the field, the second-best single-season percentage in a season in Purdue history and was 69.9 percent from the free throw line.

Cluff recorded nine double-doubles on the season, having four games at least 14 rebounds. He tallied 17 points and 14 rebounds in the Big Ten Tournament semifinal win over UCLA and had 12 points and 14 rebounds in a win over Nebraska in February. He tallied 15 points and 15 rebounds in the Baha Mar Championship title-game victory over Texas Tech.

He netted at least 10 points 21 times during the season, including 20-point outings against Marquette (9-of-9 FGs), Penn State (10-of-11 FGs) and Michigan in the Big Ten Tournament championship game (7-of-11 FGs).

One of the country’s top long-distance shooters for the last four years, Fletcher Loyer signed an Exhibit-10 deal with the Clippers. An Exhibit-10 contract is a one-year, non-guaranteed minimum salary NBA contract that includes a training camp invitation. It allows teams to retain a player’s G League rights if they are waived, offers a bonus of up to $85,300 and an be converted into a two-way contract.

Loyer wrapped up an outstanding career for the Boilermakers this past Spring, ending his career as the school’s all-time leader in 3-pointers with 309, while ranking 11th on the school’s career scoring list (1,829 points) and fifth on the career free throw percentage list (.846).

Loyer was one of six players in Big Ten history (Shawn Respert, Talor Battle, Jordan Bohannon, Joe Crispin, Brad Davison) to have at least 1,800 points, 300 assists and make at least 300 free throws and 3-pointers. He is one of only four players (Respert, Battle, Crispin), and the first since 2011, to accomplish those marks in four years.

This past season, Loyer averaged 14.1 points, 2.3 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game, while making 43.2 percent (112-of-259) of his 3-point attempts. His 112 made 3-pointers were second in school history, while ranking tied for 13th nationally. He is one of four players in Purdue history (Loyer, Robbie Hummel, E’Twaun Moore, Walter Jordan) to score at least 375 points in all four seasons.

Loyer was at his best late in the season, shooting 14-of-26 (.538) from 3-point range in the NCAA Tournament and making a nation’s-best 64, 3-pointers since Feb. 1 (64-of-130; .492).

Loyer recorded 51 career games of three or more 3-pointers, helping Purdue to a 46-5 record in those games. When he made four or more 3-pointers in a game during his career, Purdue went 28-2.

All four Purdue players are expected to compete in NBA Summer League, which starts July 3, with the California Classic. The main Summer League schedule starts July 9, in Las Vegas.

====================================

PURDUE FT. WAYNE MEN’S BASKETBALL

FORT WAYNE, Ind. – The Purdue Fort Wayne men’s basketball staff has multiple additions for the 2026-27 campaign, Mastodon head coach Jon Coffman announced on Thursday (June 25).

Matthew Ambrose, who was a graduate assistant the last two seasons, stays in Fort Wayne and has now taken on the title of Assistant Coach – Director of Player Development. Dylan Parker joins the Mastodons under the title of Assistant Coach – Director of Recruiting Operations. Former Mastodon Johnny DeJurnett and Jason Huber join the staff as graduate assistants.

Ambrose moves up to the assistant coach role in 2026-27 after serving as the Director of Player Development since 2024 in a graduate capacity. Ambrose oversaw individualized skill instruction, player workouts and overall performance growth both on-and-off the court. His impact resulted in three All-Horizon League First Team performers over the last two seasons. A former standout at Stevenson High School in Illinois, Ambrose played for his father, Pat Ambrose, one of the most respected high school coaches in Illinois and the coach of NBA Champion and NBA Finals MVP Jalen Brunson. Ambrose graduated from Calvin University in 2024. Ambrose recently graduated with a master’s degree at Purdue Fort Wayne.

“Matthew worked extremely hard as our graduate assistant over the past two years and has earned the promotion to becoming a full-time assistant on the floor with his hard work,” Coffman said. “He is a bright young coach who is an excellent teacher of the game with a tremendous motor! He adds a ton of value with his skill development work on the floor! He’s lived the lifestyle as the son of a coach, and I’m excited to watch him continue to grow in the profession.”

Parker spent the previous two seasons as a graduate assistant under Herb Sendek at Santa Clara University. During his time at Santa Clara, Parker was part of the staff that helped guide the Broncos to their first NCAA Tournament appearance in 30 years. During this time, he played a role in the development of NBA Draft pick Allen Graves while contributing to the program’s recruiting and scouting operations throughout the season. Prior to Santa Clara, Parker spent four seasons at Ohio State University under Chris Holtmann and staff, serving as the program’s head student manager during his senior year. Parker also spent the summers of 2023 and 2024 volunteering with USA Basketball and the U.S. Junior National Team. A native of Seattle, Washington, Parker earned a bachelor’s degree in finance from Ohio State before receiving a master’s degree in Educational Leadership from Santa Clara.

“I’m excited to add Dylan to our coaching staff in a role impacting our recruiting,” Coffman said. “He’s been part of two great staffs at Ohio State under Coach Holtmann and Santa Clara under Coach Sendek, and I’m excited to have him utilize his experiences to impact winning in Fort Wayne!”

DeJurnett returns to Purdue Fort Wayne as a graduate assistant after a decorated playing career with the Mastodons. A key contributor during one of the most successful eras in program history, DeJurnett helped lead Purdue Fort Wayne to a 2022 Horizon League regular season title and a berth in the College Basketball Invitational (CBI). In 2024, he helped the Mastodons advance to the title game of the CollegeInsider.com Tournament (CIT). As a graduate assistant, DeJurnett will assist with player development, scouting, video analysis and day-to-day operations within the program. A native of Memphis, Tennessee, DeJurnett earned his bachelor’s degree in Organizational Leadership.

“Johnny won a ton of games on the court for the Dons, and I’m fired up to have him return to our program in a coaching role this year as a graduate assistant, “Coffman said. “He brings the knowledge of having stacked details as a player in our program for five years and brings a deep pride toward what it means to be a Mastodon! I’m excited to watch him flourish as a college basketball coach!”

Huber comes to Fort Wayne after recently completing his collegiate playing career at Monmouth College. A standout both on the court and in the classroom, he earned the 2024-25 Midwest Conference (MWC) Elite 20 Award and Academic All-District honors. In his final season he guided the NCAA Division III Fighting Scots to 20 wins and started all 27 games. In 2024-25, Huber appeared in 26 games and contributed across multiple areas of the game.

“Jason has a great basketball pedigree as the son of a high school coach, having played in college at Monmouth and trained with Rasheed Bello’s trainer in Chicago,” Coffman said. “He brings great energy to the court and is an excellent teacher of the game. I’m excited to have him impact our program as a graduate assistant.”

The 2026-27 Mastodon campaign will open with a home exhibition contest against Purdue on October 22.  Tickets will be on sale in August.

=========================================

NOTRE DAME HOCKEY

SOUTH BEND, Ind. — As the University of Notre Dame bids farewell to the 2025-26 year and rolls over to the 2026-27 academic calendar, its hockey team has revealed the dates and opponents of its non-conference slate.

The 2026-27 schedule features eight unique opponents, including a pair of exhibition games in early October, and a total of 11 home matchups over the course of the season.

Notre Dame opens the year October 2 with its annual exhibition against the U.S. National Team Development Program of which nine current Irish skaters represented prior to their time on campus. They cap off the opening weekend the following day with a tilt against Toronto for their final exhibition tune-up ahead of the regular season start.

The season officially commences the following weekend when the Irish welcome Niagara to town for a pair of games, October 8-9.

Their lone non-conference game takes place October 16 on the front end of a home-and-home with regional rival Western Michigan before hosting the Broncos the following night for the series finale. The opening month at home comes to a close when Merrimack visits October 23-24.

The Irish return to non-conference play over the Thanksgiving holiday with Bowling Green at home on November 24 before Boston College at the end of the week, November 27.

Notre Dame’s final non-conference series of the regular season rings in the New Year, January 1-2, against Stonehill.

Become a Season Ticket Member today and secure the best seats for all Notre Dame home games (including non-conference and every Big Ten opponent) inside the Compton Family Ice Arena. Season Ticket Members will have access to an exclusive presale opportunity to purchase additional single game tickets before those tickets are made available to the public! Buy new season tickets or renew your current tickets at FightingIrish.com/BuyTickets.

Make sure you’re on the list to receive Hockey updates, including reminders about on-sale dates and more, directly to your inbox by completing this form.

Game times for all 2026-27 home games will be announced at a later date, as well as the Big Ten Conference schedule. More information about our exclusive Season Ticket Member single game presale and public on sale dates for these games will be available by mid-August.

===================================

NOTRE DAME VOLLEYBALL

SOUTH BEND, Ind. – Another season of Notre Dame volleyball is on the horizon as the 2026 schedule has officially been released.

Head Coach Salima Rockwell enters her fifth season leading the Irish and looks to build off of last season’s success. The Irish won nice ACC contests, the most conference wins under Rockwell in her tenure, nearly doubling their conference win totals from the past three seasons (five).

Notre Dame has 29 regular season matches on the schedule with 13 at home inside Purcell Pavilion and 16 matches on the road. The Irish will play home-and-home matchups against Eastern Illinois, Louisville, Cal and Syracuse.

Following a pair of exhibition matches at Indiana and against Michigan, Notre Dame will open up the 2026 regular season at home, facing off against Ball State on August 28th before a meeting against Xavier on August 30th. The Irish then hit the road for five games, including a matchup at Georgia for the 2026 Showdown at the Net, the second annual event where teams from the Atlantic Coast Conference square off against teams from the Southeastern Conference. It’ll be the first time Notre Dame has competed against the Bulldogs since 2013.

The Irish close out non-conference play with a home-and-home against Eastern Illinois, hosting the Panthers on Friday, September 18th before trekking to Charleston, Illinois on Sunday, September 20th. It’ll be the first time in program history that the two teams clash.

Notre Dame opens up conference play with three-straight games on the road, starting at Boston College on Friday, September 25th before heading to Syracuse Sunday, September 27th. The Irish will travel south for a midweek matchup at Louisville on Wednesday, September 30th before returning home on Saturday, October 3rd to host the Cardinals, marking the first of five-straight ACC matchups inside Purcell Pavilion.

Following the homestand, Notre Dame heads to the Sunshine State to face off against Miami on Friday, October 23rd and Florida State on Sunday, October 25th before returning to South Bend to host Georgia Tech on Friday, October 30th and Clemson on Sunday, November 1.

A four-game road trip kicks off the rest of November, starting with a trip to Virginia to face off at Virginia Tech on November 6th and at Virginia November 8th. The Irish then head to Pitt for a Wednesday night matchup on November 11th before heading to Dallas to take on SMU on Sunday, November 15th.

Notre Dame closes the regular season with three of its final four games at home. The Irish welcome NC State to town on Friday, November 20th before hosting Wake Forest on Sunday, November 22nd. A trip to Cal on Wednesday, November 25th wraps up road play for Notre Dame before hosting Syracuse on Saturday, November 28th to close out the regular season in Purcell Pavilion.

====================================

BUTLER WOMEN’S SOCCER

Co-head coaches Tari St. John and Rob Alman have announced 13 additions to the Butler women’s soccer program who will compete for the Bulldogs on the pitch beginning this fall.

The group includes three transfers who arrived at Butler for the spring 2026 semester: senior Isabella Ayau from the University of San Francisco, sophomore Riley Gumm from San Diego State, and sophomore Lily Kiliski from Boston College.

The 10 incoming freshmen arriving on campus this summer are Chrissy Graves, Emma Hamelmann, Elsa Maurer, Elise May, Sarah Monnin, Alexi Mumford, Lola Pepper, Claire Pingel, Maren Swan, and Kensey Teffner.

__________

Isabella Ayau

Kula, Hawaii/Kamahameha Schools Maui, (Albion SC San Diego), University of San Francisco, 5’3″, M

Ayau played three seasons at the University of San Francisco, making 46 appearances with 13 starts. She punched in one goal and dished out three assists over three seasons, earning All-Academic Honorable Mention recognition in 2024 and 2025. The midfielder played two seasons of soccer at Kamehameha Schools Maui where, in 2023, she was named to the HHSAA DI Girls State Soccer First Team and the All-Hawai’i First Team Stellar Eleven. Her team won a 2023 team conference championship, and she earned Maui Interscholastic League honors that included 2023 Player of the Year and All-MIL First Team recognition (2023, 2022). Ayau, who also competed in tennis and boxing at the high school level, also played with Albion SC San Diego.

On choosing Butler: “I chose Butler because of the coaches and the environment they create — one that pushes you to compete at a high level while also valuing academics. Butler offers the balance I was looking for to grow as an athlete, student, and person.”

__________

Riley Gumm

Aurora, Ill./Oswego East, (Eclipse Select SC), San Diego State, 5’4″, M

Gumm, who did not play in the 2025 season, appeared in 13 matches as a freshman in 2024. She notched her first assist, shot, and shot on goal vs. Nevada. The midfielder was also named to the Mountain West All-Academic Team and was a SDSU Scholar Athlete.

Gumm played club for Eclipse Select SC where she was invited to the ECNL National Selection Game and was a three-time ECNL All-Midwest First Team selection. In prep competition, she earned All-State, All-Conference, and All-Area honors at Oswego East High School. The team MVP graduated as the school’s all-time assist leader after dishing out 34 assists and scoring 37 goals over three seasons.

On choosing Butler: “I chose Butler because of their strong academics, amazing coaching staff, emphasis on personal development, and strong team culture. I love the campus and how welcoming the environment is at Butler!”

__________

Lily Kiliski

Queens, N.Y./St. Francis Preparatory, (New York Soccer Club), Boston College, 5’2″, M

Kiliski played her freshman season at Boston College where she appeared in 11 matches.

Prior to collegiate competition, she was part of the USWNT U18/19 training camp, and her New York Soccer Club side was Northeast GA League Champion, Super Copa Champion, and qualified for the Champions Cup. Kiliski was a participant at USYNT Talent ID Center, Gotham FC Talent ID Showcase & ID events, Girls Academy Northeast Conference and National Talent ID, Capelli Sports Plus Northeast ID, USYS State & Regional ODP, and the Girls Academy Advisory Panel.

At St. Francis Prep, Kilisky scored nine goals with 11 assists as a freshman and sophomore on a team that was a Brooklyn Queens Finalist and league runner-up. She was also part of a state championship track squad and was a member of the National Honor Society, MU Alpha Theta Honors Society and the NYS Science Honor Society.

On choosing Butler: “I chose Butler for its strong academics, amazing coaching staff, and style of play that fits my game.”

__________

Chrissy Graves

Kensington, Md./St. Andrew’s Episcopal, (Northern Virginia Alliance), 5’9″, D

Graves played two years at St. Andrew’s where she received ISL honors and was a High Honor student. Her Northern Virginia Alliance club won the 2024 ECNL Mid Atlantic Conference Championship and a 2026 GA Conference Championship.

On choosing Butler: “I chose Butler because the team immediately felt like family.”

__________

Emma Hamelmann

Zionsville, Ind./Zionsville, (Indy Eleven ECNL), 5’9″, M

Hamelmann helped lead Zionsville to ten wins and a 5-0-2 conference record her senior season. The Academic All-State honoree was named All-District and was also a two-time Max Preps Player of the Game. She was a three-time Eagle Scholar, a member of the National Honor Society, and graduated magna cum laude. Hamelmann’s Indy Eleven side was a four-year ECNL playoff qualifier and reached the semifinals at the 2024 ECNL national playoffs.

On choosing Butler: “I chose Butler because of the combination of high-level athletics and strong academics. I wanted to be a part of a team that prioritized culture and competition. After meeting the coaching staff and the players, I knew that being a part of the Butler program would push me to be better both on and off the field.”

__________

Elsa Maurer

Muskego, Wis./Muskego, (Madison Rally FC & SC Wave GA), 5’9″, D

Maurer competed three seasons at Muskego, helping lead her team to 55 wins and three WIAA DI state championships (2023, 2024, 2025). Her 2025 team went 21-0-2 and was Classic 8 Conference champions. The defender, who scored five goals, anchored a back line that held opponents to 0.46 goals against per game over a three-year span. Postseason honors included All-America, All-Region, All-State First Team, All-Conference First Team, and TopDrawer Soccer High School Best XI. The three-time Muskego Scholar Athlete was a member of the National Honor Society and graduated with High Distinction honors. Maurer’s club teams qualified four times for GA national finals events, competing in one semifinal, and were GA Midwest Conference Champions. She was also a GA National Talent ID invitee, a team captain, and a GA Advisory Panel Club Representative.

On choosing Butler: “I chose Butler because of the connection I felt with Coach Rob and Coach Tari and the team’s style of play. I know I can continue to develop as a player here, and Butler’s strong Health Sciences program supports my goal of becoming a Physician Assistant.”

__________

Elise May

Fishers, Ind./Fishers, (Indy Eleven 2007 ECNL), 5’7″, F

May was a three-year varsity starter and letterwinner at Fishers where she earned All-State and All-District First Team honors. The team captain and offensive MVP scored twelve goals her final season, was named All-Academic, and graduated magna cum laude. She was also a team captain with Indy Eleven 2007 ECNL and helped the side reach the ECNL National Semi-Finals.

On choosing Butler: “I loved the team environment and coaching staff as well as the competitive level of play.”

__________

Sarah Monnin

Montreal, Quebec, Canada/College Ahuntsic, (CS Longueuil), 5’4″, F

Monnin was named to the RSEQ (Réseau du sport étudiant du Québec) Provincial All-Star Team in 2024.

On choosing Butler: “I immediately loved the girls, the team, and their play style.”

__________

Alexi Mumford

Chapel Hill, N.C./Accelerator School, (Triangle United GA), 6’0″, GK

Mumford plays for Triangle United GA and has also competed with Port City FC.

On choosing Butler: “I chose Butler because, from the moment I visited, the community and environment gave me an immediate sense of belonging. Paired with strong academics and a beautiful campus, I knew it was the right place for me!”

__________

Lola Pepper

Winona Lake, Ind./Warsaw, (Indy Eleven Pro Academy ECNL), 5’9″, M

Pepper was a four-year starter and letterwinner at Warsaw, helping her team win 33 matches along with a conference and sectional championship. The team captain accumulated 68 goals and 39 assists, winning multiple team MVP and All-Conference awards. Pepper, who graduated cum laude, also played for Indy Eleven Pro Academy ECNL.

On choosing Butler: “I chose Butler because of the safe environment, amazing coaching staff, beautiful campus, and so much more!”

__________

Claire Pingel

Saint Louis, Mo./St. Joseph’s Academy, (St. Louis Scott Gallagher), 5’8″, M/D

Pingel played four seasons at St. Joseph’s, helping the team to 76 total wins, a 2025 state championship, two district championships and two conference championships. The defender and team captain tallied eight goals with nine assists and earned All-District and All-Conference honors in multiple seasons. Pingel, who garnered Academic All-State accolades, helped lead her SLSG Navy club team to two Elite Eights and two ECNL conference championships.

On choosing Butler: “I chose Butler because it offers great academics and a competitive soccer program that will help me grow both on and off the field. Furthermore, the coaching staff was very welcoming and made me feel comfortable from the start.”

__________

Maren Swan

Troy, Mich./Troy, (Nationals Girls Academy), 5’8″, M

Swan played one year at Troy, helping lead her team to 16 wins, district and regional championships, and a state semifinal appearance. She also played volleyball at Troy, was in the National Honor Society, and graduated summa cum laude. Her Nationals Girls Academy side was a three-time GA Champions Cup winner (’22, ’23, ’24), 2021USYS National Championships Finalist, 2022 Girls Academy National Champion, and 2023 Girls Academy National Finalist. Swan was also selected to the 2024/25 ECNL All-Midwest Conference First Team, the 2024 USYS Regional ODP Team, and the Girls Academy Mid-America ID Camp (’22, ’23, ’24).

On choosing Butler: “I chose Butler because of the outstanding academic opportunities and the competitive soccer environment. I immediately felt comfortable the first time I stepped on campus and knew that I would grow both as a student and as a player at Butler. The coaching staff was incredibly welcoming and supportive, and it was clear the coaches built a strong team culture where each player is valued as a player and person. I also loved how pretty the campus was. Go Dawgs!”

__________

Kensey Teffner

Linden, Mich./Linden, (Nationals ECNL), 5’7″, M

Teffner scored 31 goals and dished out 20 assists in 2026 at Linden, earning All-State, All-Region, All-League and All-District First Team honors. She was her team’s captain and MVP in her only year of competition. The honor roll student and scholar athlete graduated magna cum laude. Her Nationals ECNL side was a national finalist in 2024.

On choosing Butler: “I chose Butler because, as soon as I stepped on campus, I knew I was in the right place. Butler’s campus is beautiful, and I truly don’t think you can find that anywhere else. The people here are so amazing and always willing to help. I knew from that moment forward I wanted to be a Bulldog.”

=======================================

BALL STATE BASKETBALL

The Mid-American Conference announced Wednesday afternoon an agreement with the Sun Belt Conference to extend the MAC-SBC Challenge in men’s and women’s basketball through the 2028-29 season.

Each team will play one home and one road game as part of the event, which began with the 2023-24 season. The Ball State women will play at home to begin the season against a Sun Belt foe on Monday, Nov. 2, while the Ball State men will be on the road the same day to start the campaign. In the second round of the MAC-SBC Challenge, the men will host a game at Worthen Arena on Saturday, Feb. 6, while the women will be on the road.

A look at future dates for the MAC-SBC Challenge can be found below.

2026-27
Nov. 2 – Sun Belt Women at MAC Women
Nov. 2 – MAC Men at Sun Belt Men
Feb. 6 – MAC Women at Sun Belt Women
Feb. 6 – Sun Belt Men at MAC Men

2027-28
Nov. 8 – MAC Women at Sun Belt Women
Nov. 8 – Sun Belt Men at MAC Men
Feb. 5 – Sun Belt Women at MAC Women
Feb. 5 – MAC Men at Sun Belt Men

2028-29
Nov. 6 – Sun Belt Women at MAC Women
Nov. 6 – MAC Men at Sun Belt Men
Feb. 3 – MAC Women at Sun Belt Women
Feb. 3 – Sun Belt Men at MAC Men

=================================

BALL STATE MEN’S TENNIS

MUNCIE, Ind. — Ball State men’s tennis head coach Gene Orlando announced the signing of Bratislava, Slovakia native Maksym Ivashko for the upcoming 2026-27 season.

“We are excited to welcome Maksym to the Cardinal family,” Orlando said. “Maksym is an up-and-coming player who has made great strides with his game over the past six months. His discipline, work ethic, and attention to detail make him a perfect fit for our program.”

Ivashko trains at the prestigious Love 4 Tennis Academy in Bratislava, showcasing elite skills in both singles and doubles play. His standout junior career includes a Slovak national doubles championship and an international bronze medal in singles.

The incoming freshman carries elite momentum into Muncie after reaching both the singles and doubles finals at an ITF tournament this past June. He also recently achieved a career-high Universal Tennis Rating (UTR) of 11.70.

Ivashko also excels outside of athletics. He graduates from the German International School with a 3.5 GPA in the rigorous A-Level program.

======================================

BALL STATE ATHLETICS

Cardinals Fans:

As we close the 2025-26 athletics calendar and look ahead to the start of our fall seasons, the most concise tone I can project is that Ball State athletics is on an upward trajectory.

Before I delve into reasons for my positivity, it’s important that I encourage an attitude of support following the recent tragic death of football student-athlete Gavin Yates-Lyons while he was home in Florida after the spring semester. As our football coaches, staff and players tackle the challenge of moving forward from this tragedy, please be thoughtful and understanding. Gavin was a promising young student-athlete who will continue to be remembered by our program.

Within our department, we are proud of our accomplishments from a year ago to earn the MAC’s Cartwright Award for the most comprehensively successful program in the league, not to mention 12 conference championships since spring 2023 and the record-setting academic achievement by our student-athletes. But in this business, the status quo can never be enough. We recorded historic performances in 2025-26, and I am excited as we look ahead to 2026-27.

Our football and men’s basketball programs are sure to take a few steps forward in the coming year.

The energy in Coach Uremovich’s football building is palpable. Simply put, they believe. Generally speaking, a program is better in year two of a new regime, and Coach U and company have had a full year to recruit and build. The Cardinals will undoubtedly be deeper and more diverse on both sides of the ball in 2026.

In the basketball arena, what I have seen so far from new men’s basketball coach Chris Capko and staff is not only enthusiasm and a great start to recruiting, but also an operational efficiency that I believe energizes the program. I like the staff’s positive energy and I believe in their purpose-driven approach toward building this year’s team.

Both programs have hit the transfer portal hard, and both have received high acclaim for their efforts. When that energy and recruiting success begins translating to more wins, I expect our Muncie and student communities will rally around their momentum.

Our volleyball programs have both been inspiring, too. Volleyball has a particularly devout following in Delaware County, and it is growing on the men’s side throughout the state of Indiana. I am excited about our success in both of these sports, and Kelli Miller Phillips and Mike Iandolo gave me great reason to stay positive from August through May of this past year!

Not to be outdone is women’s basketball. Head Coach Brady Sallee and his squad have captured back-to-back conference titles and are reloading for this upcoming season with exciting new players coming to Muncie to join an already talented squad.

Beyond optimism in those five sports, our successes in 2025-26 speak for themselves. Consider that nine of our 19 programs finished in the top four of league standings last year. We saw three teams – men’s and women’s volleyball, plus women’s basketball – win regular season titles. Six others were in the top four, including women’s soccer and men’s tennis with new head coaches.

Among those top-four finishers, track & field celebrated another All-American with Kenli Nettles advancing to the NCAA outdoor championships for the second straight year. The Cardinals hosted a very successful MAC Championships track meet and sent five NCAA qualifiers to postseason competition, the most in nearly two decades (since 2007)!

We truly have momentum! I encourage you to browse our Year in Review from 2025-26, for more detail and recognition on all our great accomplishments in the past year.

Another source of enthusiasm comes from the molding and shaping of a vision to build greater facilities for our programs – including the Foss Championship Performance Center that opens later this summer; and clubhouse structures at Shebek Stadium and the Ball State Softball Stadium that will come to fruition in the next year. We are branding and growing our physical resources to benefit every one of our 19 sports.

As I look at those projects coming together, I am thankful for the partnerships that help our programs advance. Ball State alumnus Eric Foss has been a tremendous partner to help us construct our new championship performance facility, which will impact more than 75% of our student-athlete population. Another alum, former baseball player Mike Shebek, has continued to assist in the shaping of our modern-day baseball program.

Both our golf programs are beneficiaries of recent alumni and donor support, and partners at Delaware Country Club have helped Mike Fleck and Cam Andry establish a new Cardinal Room that fosters team building and nutritional support for both golf teams.

Also, DCC will be the site of a new, two-day double engagement event to encourage golf, camaraderie and Cardinal Pride! On Thursday, August 6, an exclusive Sip & Chip event welcomes couples for an evening of wine and bourbon tasting, cigars and live music. The next day, August 7, a new Cardinal and White Invite is a premium golf and partnership event that welcomes corporate foursomes to mix with Ball State coaches and staff while we prepare for the upcoming seasons. A 1 p.m. shotgun start follows registration and lunch at 11:30 a.m. Corporate sponsorships and event recognition opportunities are available. Information for both events may be found at BallStateSports.com/SIPNCHIP or BallStateSports.com/CardinalWhiteInvite.

Partnerships also have led to broader community engagement with the Woof Boom Radio family of stations. With the help of Shebek’s generosity, every home baseball game and select road games were carried on WMUN last season. The Woof Boom network has added multiple initiatives in recent years to help shape and spread our message. Besides carrying football, men’s and women’s basketball, and now baseball games, they added an hour to our football pregame show and have become a great mouthpiece in showcasing our This Week in Ball State Sports podcast on its weekday, daytime programming schedule – a big step in any market.

In addition, while Mark Foerster’s afternoon talk show routinely welcomes Ball State coaches, he features a broader array of Ball State athletics guests nearly every Friday during the summer for a live happy hour broadcast at the 1925 Pubhouse. It cultivates greater opportunity for fellowship and partnership every week during our slower months.

The synergy between donors, sponsors, partners and community friends helps our programs grow. In addition to happiness with our teams’ successes, my greatest gratitude comes from these growth experiences outside the field of play.

Now in my fourth year as a Cardinal, my confidence in our path is at an unmistakable high, even despite the rapidly evolving landscape of college athletics. Budgets have tightened as we enter an era of revenue sharing with student-athletes. But as I’ve often said at the onset of this new term, our University and our athletics department are in lockstep.

I believe we are well-positioned for the future. Most certainly, our trajectory is moving in an upward direction. As always though, we need your help in order to thrive to the degree we hope. I am grateful for the support of our alumni, friends and fans, but it remains imperative that we increase our revenue in this new era. The best way to support the Cardinals is to buy season tickets, make a donation to the Cardinal Excellence Fund or the sport fund of your choice, attend our events, and get others to do the same.

We need all our Cardinals and partners together!

I look forward to seeing you at an upcoming event!

GO CARDINALS!

Jeff Mitchell signature

JEFF MITCHELL

Director of Athletics

Ball State University

=====================================

INDIANA STATE MEN’S BASKETBALL

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Two former Indiana State men’s basketball players have made it to the NBA during the 2026 NBA Draft and post-draft signing.

Ryan Conwell (2023-24) was selected in the second round of the 2026 NBA Draft to the Oklahoma City Thunder and almost immediately was traded to the Miami Heat. Conwell was selected 37th overall.

After the conclusion of the first and second rounds, Robbie Avila (2022-24) signed an Exhibit-10 contract with the Los Angeles Lakers. This contract is a one-year, non-guaranteed, minimum-salary NBA contract that can be guaranteed or converted into a two-way contract, or the team can waive the player.

Conwell was the first Sycamore drafted since Jake LaRavia (2022, 19th overall to Minnesota), and he and Avila will be the first to reach the NBA since Jayson Kent (2022-24). Kent signed with the NBA’s G League Rip City Remix and later signed a two-way contract with the Portland Trail Blazers.

Avila now joins LaRavia on the Lakers’ squad after LaRavia was signed to Los Angeles as an unrestricted free agent.

====================================

INDIANA STATE TRACK

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados – Indiana State freshman jumper Aaron Massiah earned a pair of top-three finishes at the Barbados National Championships, finishing first in the triple jump and second in the long jump at the Usain Bolt Sports Complex.

Massiah, the 2026 MVC Outdoor Track and Field Freshman of the Year, claimed the top spot in the triple jump with a mark of 13.83m (45-4.5), while his second-place long jump mark measured 7.03m (23-0.75). The first-place finish in the triple jump marked the first national championship at senior level for Massiah, after previously representing Barbados at U18 and U20 levels in the CARIFTA Games.

Massiah’s debut season as a Sycamore saw him score in both horizontal jumps (long jump and triple jump) at the MVC Indoor Championships and MVC Outdoor Championships. He earned his first all-conference accolade with a third-place finish in the triple jump at the MVC Outdoor Championships, earning MVC Freshman of the Year honors in the process. Massiah also claimed bronze in the triple jump at the 2026 CARIFTA Games in April, with his career-best performance of 15.26m (50-0.75) earning him a spot on the program top-10 charts in the event.

Massiah joins Kieran Barnewall, Ben Brown and Theo Thurmond as Sycamore freshman who have had national success during the 2026 season. Barnewall claimed the Canada U20 title in the 110m hurdles, while Brown (shot put) and Thurmond (discus) both carded top-10 finishes at the USATF U20 Championships.

Up Next

Indiana State’s international competition season continues in July with the USATF Outdoor Championships.

====================================

PURDUE FT. WAYNE WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

FORT WAYNE, Ind. – Purdue Fort Wayne women’s basketball head coach Kate Peterson Abiad has announced her first transfer portal class. The four-member class of Meegan Fahy (SIUE), Madison Lewis (Eastern Kentucky), Hiba Malkawi (Southern Illinois) and Amaris Timmons (Langston) join the Purdue Fort Wayne squad this summer.

“As we looked to finalize this year’s roster, our priority in the transfer portal was finding high-character, driven student-athletes who align with our vision of hard work and team unity,” Peterson Abiad said.

Fahy is a 5-foot-6 guard from Niles, Illinois and spent the last two seasons at SIUE. She averaged 4.3 points and 1.5 rebounds per game last season for the Cougars. Prior to arriving in Edwardsville, Fahy led her Maine South High School squad to a 31-2 record in her senior season, averaging 16.0 points, 4.2 rebounds, 2.6 steals and 2.2 assists per game. She also broke the single-season free throw percentage record. Fahy was selected as an Illinois Basketball Coaches Association First Team All-State honoree as a senior and was a nominee for McDonald’s All-America.

“Meegan brings a genuine passion for the game and natural leadership to the point guard position,” Peterson Abiad said. “She’s a relentless competitor who plays with joy, and her physical, tough style of play will translate perfectly to the Horizon League.”

Lewis is a 5-foot-7 guard from Murfreesboro, Tennessee. She started her career with two seasons at Wabash Valley, where she was named an NJCAA First Team All-American and the Great Rivers Athletic Conference Player of the Year. While at Wabash Valley, she averaged 16.3 points per game as a sophomore, including a season-high 31 against Erie. At Eastern Kentucky, Lewis played in 25 games in her first season of Division I, recording 3.8 points per game with a 40.2 percent shooting clip. She helped the Colonels secure a 25-9 record and a berth to the Women’s Basketball Invitational Tournament (WBIT). She scored 16 points in the regular season finale victory over Bellarmine, which clinched EKU’s Atlantic Sun regular season title. She graduated from Columbia Academy, where she scored over 2,100 points en route to becoming the program’s all-time leading scorer.

“Madi’s explosive first step and elite quickness make her an exciting addition,” Peterson Abiad said. “With a relatively young and untested roster, her significant collegiate game experience will be an incredibly valuable asset for us this season.”

Malkawi is a Plano, Texas native. The 5-foot-7 guard spent time at Eastern Oklahoma State, Northeastern Oklahoma A&M and Southern Illinois. Malkawi was most recently at Southern Illinois, where she played in 19 games, averaging 1.6 points per game. At Northeastern Oklahoma A&M, she scored over 330 points for the Norse, leading them to a conference runner-up finish. A Plano West graduate, Malkawi was a First Team All-Conference selection in 2022 after averaging 14.7 points, 4.6 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 2.0 steals per game.

“Hiba plays with a level of passion and intensity that will help set the standard for Purdue Fort Wayne basketball,” Peterson Abiad said. “She is a high-character player who is entirely focused on helping her team succeed, and we are thrilled to welcome her to Fort Wayne.”

Timmons is a 6-foot-1 forward from Bridgeport, Connecticut. She started her career at Division II Kentucky State, where she played in 16 games. She then transferred to Langston, a member of the NAIA, where she spent the 2025-26 season. She earned the starting role in 18 games and averaged 6.3 points per game while shooting 55.7 percent from the floor. Timmons is a 2024 graduate of Kolbe Cathedral, where she averaged 14.5 points and 7.2 rebounds per game en route to All-Conference and All-State honors in 2024.

“Amaris addresses a key need for us: size, athleticism, and proven post experience,” Peterson Abiad said. “She runs the floor well, possesses excellent hands, and is a strong finisher inside. Her determination to command the paint is a tremendous plus for our program.”

The four-member transfer class recently joined Purdue Fort Wayne this summer to prepare for the 2026-27 campaign.

==================================

EVANSVILLE VOLLEYBALL

EVANSVILLE, Ind. – Set for his second season at the helm of the University of Evansville volleyball program, head coach Zach Weinberg has announced the schedule for the 2026 season.

Full 2026 Schedule

“We’re excited about the opportunities this schedule provides for our team to grow and compete at a high level throughout the fall,” Weinberg said. “Our non-conference schedule gives us a great balance of regional rivalries and challenging road environments that will prepare us for MVC play.”
 
“Once we get into league play, we know every match will be a battle, and we’re looking forward to competing in front of our fans at Meeks Family Fieldhouse as we continue building our program. We believe this schedule will test us, help us improve, and position us to play our best volleyball when it matters most.”
 
In a preseason exhibition contest, the Purple Aces will host Lindenwood on Saturday, August 22. The regular season opens with a tournament at Bellarmine on August 28-29. Along with the host Knights, UE will face Purdue Fort Wayne and Rutgers.
 
The home slate begins on September 1 when the Aces play host to SEMO. The Redhawks are coming off a solid 2025 campaign that saw them go 21-13 overall and 12-6 in the Ohio Valley Conference. From Sept. 4-5, UE will take part in the Miami/Best Western Invitational in Oxford, Ohio. Evansville will face Miami Ohio along with Purdue Fort Wayne and Kansas City. The RedHawks highlight the weekend after winning 16 games last season and 10 in the Mid-American Conference.
 
Five matches against three OVC programs will complete the non-conference schedule. On Sept. 10 and 12, the Aces will face Tennessee State in a home-and-home series before traveling to UT Martin on the 15^th. Two days later, UE will be at USI before hosting the Screaming Eagles on Sept. 19.
 
Missouri Valley Conference action is set to begin the weekend of Sept. 25 when the team welcomes Southern Illinois and Bradley. Four league road matches open the month of October. After traveling to Belmont and Murray State (Oct. 2-3), UE travels to Valparaiso and UIC on the 8^th and 9^th. The Beacons were second in the MVC last season with a 12-4 conference mark.
 
Evansville is back home on the 16^th and 17^th to face Illinois State and Belmont before returning to the road at defending MVC champion UNI and Drake. The Aces and Panthers meet up on Oct. 23 in Cedar Falls while UE is set to face Drake on the 24^th in Des Moines. The road trip wraps up on the 27^th at Indiana State.
 
On Halloween, Evansville welcomes Northern Iowa to complete the season series. Three home matches open November. The Aces face Murray State and Valparaiso on the 6^th and 7^th while Indiana State heads to Meeks Family Fieldhouse on the 10^th. The regular season comes to an end on the 13^th with a road match at SIU. The MVC Championship is set to begin on Nov. 18 with each round being hosted by the higher seed.

=================================

EVANSVILLE WOMEN’S SOCCER

EVANSVILLE, Ind. – Head Coach Chris Pfau and the University of Evansville women’s soccer program have revealed their 2026 schedule, highlighted by eight home matches at Arad McCutchan Stadium. 

Evansville begins its slate with two road preseason matches, beginning on August 5 at IU Indy before traveling to Cincinnati on August 8.

Non-Conference Slate
Purdue (Aug 13, Away): The Aces open the season in West Lafayette against an in-state Power Conference foe. Last season, Evansville captured their first win over a Power-4 opponent since 2008 when they took down the Boilermakers by a score of 2-1 at Arad McCutchan Stadium.

SEMO (Aug 20, Home): Evansville opens their home slate by hosting the Redhawks after defeating SEMO 4-3 in last year’s season opener. The Aces and Redhawks are meeting for the 12^th time since 2012.

Lindenwood (Aug 27, Home, Alumni Weekend): The Aces take on Lindenwood for the third consecutive season, having defeated the Lions in 2024 before dropping last season’s contest. The match also marks Alumni Weekend for the Aces.

Austin Peay (Sept 3, Home, Senior Night): Another familiar non-conference opponent, Evansville welcomes Austin Peay after defeating the Govs 1-0 in Clarksville last season. The match marks Senior Night for the Aces.

Middle Tennessee (Sept 10, Away): Evansville heads to Murfreesboro looking to avenge last season’s 3-1 loss to the Blue Raiders. The Aces were victorious in their last trip to Murfreesboro, defeating Middle Tennessee 3-2 in overtime in 2021.
 
MVC Slate
Southern Illinois (Sept 19, Home): MVC play begins as the Aces host the Salukis at Arad McCutchan Stadium. The all-time series between Evansville and SIU is knotted at 2-2-2.

Drake (Sept 27, Home): Evansville hosts Drake, looking for their first win over the Bulldogs since 2016. Each of the last three meetings in the River City have resulted in a draw.

Indiana State (Oct 3, Away): UE travels to Terre Haute for their first MVC road contest to battle an in-state rival. Evansville is seeking their first regular season victory over the Sycamores since 2018.

Belmont (Oct 10, Away): The Aces look for the second consecutive win over the Bruins after earning a 2-1 victory last season. Belmont leads the series 2-1-1 since joining the Missouri Valley Conference.

Northern Iowa (Oct 15, Home): Evansville hosts UNI after defeating the Panthers 2-0 in Cedar Falls last season. The Aces are 9-2-1 against UNI in Evansville since 2002.

Valparaiso (Oct 18, Away): Evansville travels to Valparaiso looking for their first win over the Beacons since 2021. The Aces last trip to Valpo in 2024 resulted in a 3-3 draw.

Illinois State (Oct 25, Home): The Aces welcome the Redbirds to the River City after earning a result last season in Bloomington, playing to a 0-0 draw.

Murray State (Nov 1, Home): Evansville plays their final home contest of the season, hosting the Racers of Murray State. Both meetings between the Aces and Racers in Evansville have been draws since Murray State joined the Missouri Valley Conference.

UIC (Nov 5, Away): UE closes the regular season in the Windy City to battle defending MVC Tournament champs UIC. The Aces defeated the Flames last season, 2-1.

MVC Quarterfinal – Nov 8
MVC Semifinal – Nov 12
MVC Final – Nov 15

================================

SOUTHERN INDIANA MEN’S BASKETBALL

EVANSVILLE, Ind.—University of Southern Indiana Men’s Basketball Coach Stan Gouard announced the additions of Stefan King, Doug Novsek and Dylan Ingram to his 2026-27 coaching staff.

King comes to the Screaming Eagles after spending the previous four seasons at Tennessee Tech University, where he was an assistant coach from 2024-26 after serving as the program’s director of operations from 2022-24.

During his tenure at Tennessee Tech, King helped lead the Golden Eagles to a pair of Ohio Valley Conference Tournament berths as well as a spot in the OVC Championship game in 2023.

In 2022-23, King helped Tennessee Tech to some impressive numbers from three-point range. The Golden Eagles ranked first in the OVC in made three-pointers and third in the league in three-point field goal percentage. They also ranked 28th, nationally, in three-point field goal percentage and 29th in the nation in made three-pointers per game.

Novsek returns to the Screaming Eagles after spending the 2025-26 season as the head boys’ basketball coach at Mt. Vernon High School in Mt. Vernon, Indiana.

Prior to the 2025-26 season, Novsek spent the 2023-24 and 2024-25 seasons on the Screaming Eagles’ sidelines under Coach Gouard.

Novsek came to USI from Eastern Illinois University, where he spent the 2021-22 and 2022-23 seasons as an assistant, and the University of Idaho, where he was the assistant coach in 2019-20 and the associate head coach in 2020-21.

Between 2015 and 2018, Novsek worked with the University of Evansville and helped the Purple Aces to the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament championship game and a 25-9 mark in 2016. He also helped guide the University of Nevada to three Western Athletic Conference regular-season titles between 2006 and 2015.

Ingram, who will be a graduate assistant in 2026-27, wrapped up his collegiate career at the University of Indianapolis in 2024-25.

A native of Chicago, Illinois, Ingram earned Great Lakes Valley Conference Freshman of the Year honors at Maryville University before transferring to UIndy. He averaged 7.9 points per game in two seasons with the Saints before averaging 5.0 points per game during his two seasons with the Greyhounds.

Ingram earned his bachelor’s degree in sport management from UIndy in 2025.

===================================

SOUTHERN INDIANA CROSS COUNTRY/TRACK

EVANSVILLE, Ind.—University of Southern Indiana Cross Country/Track & Field Head Coach Mike Hillyard announced the Screaming Eagles’ incoming men’s recruiting class for the 2026-27 season.

The list includes sophomore transfer Jackson Nolan as well as incoming freshmen Brayden Kloeppel, Chaz Oberkfell, Elijah Teefey and Colin Thomas.

Jackson Nolan returns to Evansville’s Westside after spending his first collegiate season at the University of Louisville.

The Reitz High School graduate, who is the younger brother of USI Assistant Coach Austin Nolan and reigning OVC Cross Country Athlete of the Year Alex Nolan, was a three-time state-qualifier on the grass during his prep career. He finished 10th at the IHSAA Cross Country Championships as a senior in 2024 after winning the Mater Dei section and regional meets. He also was ninth at the NXR Midwest Regional Championships.

On the track, Nolan finished third in the 3,200 meters at the 2025 IHSAA Outdoor Championships with a personal-best time of eight minutes, 56.33 seconds.

At Louisville, Nolan appeared in five meets for the Cardinals during the 2025 cross country season. He was 92nd overall and ran No. 6 for the team at the NCAA Southeast Regional Championships with a personal-best 10k time of 32:45.4, helping the Cardinals advance to the national championship meet for the first time in a decade.

Jackson brings personal-best collegiate times to USI in the 3,000 meters (8:19) and the 5,000 meters (14:21.39).

Brayden Kloeppel begins his first collegiate season after graduating from O’Fallon High School in O’Fallon, Illinois, where he qualified for the IHSA Class 3A Cross Country Championships four times. He finished 34th at the 2025 state meet after winning the Southwestern Conference title and finishing second at the Belleville regional.

On the track, Kloeppel was a three-time state-qualifier in the 3,200 meters. He posted a career-best finish of eighth at the IHSA 3A Track & Field Championships as a junior in 2025 and was 21st in 2026.

Kloeppel personal-best times include 9:16.30 in the 3,200 meters, 14:24.23 in the three-mile (XC) and 15:18 in the 5k (XC).

Chaz Oberkfell comes to USI from Gillespie High School in Gillespie, Illinois, where he was a two-time IHSA Class 1A champion on the cross country course.

On the track, Oberkfell won IHSA Class 1A titles in the 1,600 meters and the 3,200 meters as a senior in 2026. He also carded an eighth-place finish in the 800 meters at the 2026 state meet while helping GHS to a 21st-place finish in the 4×800-meter relay.

Oberkfell also won the 1,600 meters and the 3,200 meters at the 2026 Illinois Top Times Challenge during the indoor season. He brings and impressive resume to USI that includes top times in the 800 meters (1:53.73), the 1,600 meters (4:14.66) and the 3,200 meters (8:59.34).

Elijah Teefey is a graduate of Pleasant Plains High School in Pleasant Plains, Illinois, where he was a four-time state-qualifier on the grass. Teefey earned a fifth-place finish at the IHSA Class 1A Cross Country Championships as a senior in 2025 after collecting an eighth-place finish in 2024.

On the track, Teefey finished third in the 3,200 meters and fifth in the 1,600 meters at the 2026 IHSA Class 1A Championships. He also helped PPHS to a 17th-place finish in the 4×800-meter relay at the 2026 state meet.

Teefey qualified for the state meet multiple times throughout his prep career, including an eighth-place finish in the 1,600 meters and a third place showing in the 4×800-meter relay at the 2024 IHSA 1A Track & Field Championships. His personal-bests include 9:23.63 in the 3,200 meters and 14:49 in the three-mile on the cross country course.

Colin Thomas rounds out the Screaming Eagles’ recruiting class after graduating from Edwardsville High School in Edwardsville, Illinois, where he qualified for the IHSA Class 3A Cross Country Championships twice. Thomas earned his first-career cross country win last fall when he finished first at the IHSA Class 3A Belleville Regional.

On the track, was a three-time state-qualifier, including twice in the 4×800-meter relay and once in the 800 meters. He helped lead EHS to a first-place finish in the 4×800-meter relay at the 2026 Illinois Top Times Championships during the indoor season.

Thomas brings a personal-best time of 9:21 in the 3,200 meters to USI.

“While this is a smaller recruiting class in terms of volume, this is certainly one of the best recruiting classes, pound for pound, that we have assembled,” Hillyard said. “We’re honored and grateful to have Jackson returning home to join his brothers here at USI. Chaz Oberkfell leads a very strong quartet from Illinois, all of whom we expect to be high impact contributors in the near future. “

==================================

VALPO BASEBALL

Valparaiso University baseball head coach Brian Schmack has announced the hiring of Robby Enslen as the team’s hitting coach.

Enslen arrives at Valpo after spending time at Alpena Community College in Alpena, Mich., where he had served as the head coach over the last four seasons. He founded and rebuilt the program as its first head coach since 1973 and helped 17 student-athletes advance to four-year programs over the past three seasons. A total of 19 players earned all-conference honors under his tutelage, while he also instructed three all-region players and one Conference Player of the Year.

“We are thrilled to welcome Robby and his wife to Valpo,” Schmack said. “Robby brings a proven track record of developing hitters at the collegiate level, and we are excited for him to continue that success with our program. His experience as both a player and head coach, combined with his passion, energy and commitment to student-athlete development, make him an outstanding fit for our staff. We can’t wait for him to get started and make an impact on our program.”

Enslen led an Alpena offense that consistently improved year-over-year in each of his four seasons guiding the program. The squad went from producing 124 runs in his first year in charge in 2023 to scoring 297 this past season while also enjoying drastic improvements in on-base percentage, doubles, home runs, stolen bases and batting average throughout his tenure.

“I am excited to join the Valparaiso baseball program and can’t wait to get to work,” Enslen said. “I want to thank Brian Schmack for the opportunity to be part of the staff. Valpo has a proud baseball tradition, and I am looking forward to helping build on that success. I am excited to build relationships with our players, help them develop on and off the field, and contribute in any way I can to the program.”

Prior to serving as the head coach at Alpena, Enslen was a head coach in the Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League in Albany, N.Y. in Summer 2024 and was an instructor and head coach for the Petoskey Baseball Association (2018-2022) and Diamonds Training Academy (2015-2017).

During his playing days, Enslen reached the professional ranks, appearing in 88 games for the Frontier League’s River City Rascals in 2016. That came after a four-year Division-I collegiate career at Oakland University, where he hit .317 with 45 doubles and 115 RBIs and was a three-time all-league and all-region selection. He played against Valpo in college as the Golden Grizzlies shared Horizon League affiliation with the Brown & Gold for each of his final two collegiate seasons. Enslen graduated from Oakland with a bachelor’s degree in communication. 

=====================================

TAYLOR BASEBALL

GREENSBORO, N.C. – Following a historic 56-win season and thrilling run to the NAIA World Series championship game, the Taylor University baseball program continued to rack up postseason awards as Justin Barber was named the 2026 NAIA National Assistant Coach of the Year, announced Thursday by the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA). Additionally, head coach Kyle Gould was tabbed one of 10 NAIA Regional Coaches of the Year.

The honors capped an incredible season for the Trojans, finishing 56-7 overall, including a program-record 33-3 mark in the Crossroads League, and set program highs for wins and winning percentage (.889). The Trojans climbed to a program-best No. 1 national ranking, held the top spot for two months and reached the NAIA World Series championship game for the first time, finishing as national runner-up.

TU started fast, opening 11-0 for the first time in program history. The Trojans were 22-3 through 25 games and 27-3 through 30, both the best starts the program has recorded, and matched their longest win streak at 24 games. Their 45 regular-season wins were also a program high, and they beat six ranked opponents along the way. The lineup rewrote the program’s offensive record book, setting single-season marks for batting average (.350), runs (690) and home runs (105), among others.

The end-of-season accolades stacked up for the TU baseball squad, highlighted by pair of All-Americans and five Academic All-Americans (most among all college levels). The Trojan roster featured 11 all-conference selections while Gould was named Crossroads League Co-Coach of the Year.

The season was part of a broader run of success for the TU baseball coaching staff. Each of the past five seasons has produced at least 40 wins, and the program has reached the NAIA National Tournament in each of them. The Trojans claimed a fourth straight Crossroads League regular-season title and a third straight league tournament championship in 2026 before advancing to the NAIA World Series for the third time in program history. The success extends across Gould’s 22 seasons leading the program, a stretch that includes 19 consecutive winning records.

Founded in 1945, the American Baseball Coaches Association is the primary professional organization for baseball coaches at the amateur level. Its over 15,000 members represent all 50 states and 41 countries. Since its initial meeting of 27 college baseball coaches in June 1945, Association membership has broadened to include nine divisions: NCAA Division I, II and III, NAIA, NJCAA, Pacific Association Division, High School, Youth and Travel.

==================================

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://gomightyoak s.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

1880 – Abner Dalrymple, George Gore and Larry Corcoran, all normally left-handed batters, cross over and bat right-handed against southpaw Lee Richmond and get one hit each as Chicago beats Worcester, 4 – 0.

1901:

At Brooklyn, the Pirates lose, 16 – 3. Tom Daly has five hits including four long hits for Brooklyn – three doubles and a triple. He adds a stolen base, one of seven in the game. In September he’ll have another five-hit game.

Boston arrives in Philadelphia for an expected game against the A’s, unaware that the schedule had been changed and they are supposed to be in Baltimore. The Orioles squad and 4,500 fans wait for an hour and a half in 90-degree heat for Boston to arrive. The American League umpire assigned to the game shows up in Philly as well.

1903:

Before the start of the Giants-Pirates showdown, Giants catcher Frank Bowerman starts a fight with Pirates player-manager Fred Clarke in the Giants office. While the cause of the brawl is unclear, Pirates owner Barney Dreyfuss reports it to the National League offices and Bowerman is fined $100. Clarke gets no fine, but does take home a black eye. Christy Mathewson then pitches his fifth victory over Pittsburgh, defeating them, 8 – 2, and beating Sam Leever. Sam Mertes, who will lead the National League in doubles and RBIs, doubles home three runs in the 5th.

Veteran SS George Davis, 1900-1901 Giants manager who played for the White Stockings in 1902 and was awarded to them as part of the peace treaty, gets the approval of National League president Harry Pulliam to play for the Giants. After Davis plays in four games, including today, for the Giants, Chicago’s owner Charles Comiskey gets an injunction preventing Davis from playing. On July 20th the NL directors vote that Davis cannot play for any team except the White Stockings. Davis sits out the rest of the season but will rejoin Chicago in 1904 and finish a twenty-year career with them in 1909.

1906 – In an Iowa State League game at Waterloo, IA, Herbert Whitney, catcher for the Burlington Pathfinders, is beaned by a pitch from Fred Evans and his skull is fractured. He will die from the injury.

1911 – In Philadelphia, Grover Alexander shuts out the Boston Rustlers, 5 – 0. Phillies catcher/manager Red Dooin suffers a broken leg in a collision at home. Dooin will play in only 74 games this season. The speedy catcher had broken his knee the year before.

1912:

The Highlanders send future star Hippo Vaughn (2-8), winner of last year’s opener, to the Senators for the waiver price. In late August, Washington will compound the mistake by selling him to the Kansas City Blues (American Association).

Boston’s Smoky Joe Wood outguns the Nationals’ ace Walter Johnson to win, 3 – 0. Wood allows three hits to the “Big Train”‘s four. Johnson fans ten batters in the loss.

1913:

After failing in Cincinnati and moving across the Ohio River to Covington, Kentucky, the Federal League team decides to relocate again. The franchise shift to Kansas City, which is American Association territory, will cause Organized Baseball to “declare war” on the upstart league.

In the A’s doubleheader pasting of the Senators, 11 – 2 and 10 – 3, Nats catcher Eddie Ainsmith swipes second base, third base, and home in the opener.

Brooklyn sees Grover Alexander for a second day in a row, this time beating the Phillies righty, 4 – 2, in a doubleheader sweep by the Superbas. The Phils now lead the Giants by a half-game.

1914 – In Boston, the Giants hammer the Braves for 27 hits, winning 8 – 4 and 10 – 4, and put Boston back in the cellar. Boston had moved into seventh place with yesterday’s win over New York. Christy Mathewson wins the opener over Lefty Tyler, and Art Fromme wraps up the nitecap.

1915 – Phillie ace Grover Alexander continues his masterful pitching, topping Brooklyn’s Jack Coombs, 4 – 0. Zack Wheat’s 8th-inning single is the only Robin safety.

1916:

The Robins split with the Giants, losing, 11 – 8 before winning the nitecap, 2 – 1. New York takes a 6 – 0 lead in the opener, but the Robins score five in the 5th off starter Pol Perritt, then put two on against reliever Rube Schauer. Christy Mathewson then takes over and George Cutshaw cranks a three-run homer to give the Robins an 8 – 6 lead. Matty allows just one other hit and New York comes back against Duster Mails to win. It is Mathewson’s last major league victory. During the game, police at the Polo Grounds arrest three fans for petty looting for not throwing back baseballs hit into the stands.

Cleveland players, in a game with the White Sox, wear numbers pinned to their sleeves, marking the first time players are identified by numbers corresponding to those on the scorecard. Jack Graney, leading off for the Tribe, is the first batter to wear a number in the 20th Century.

1920 – Lou Gehrig gets his first national mention when, as a high school junior for New York City’s School of Commerce, he steals the show in a high school championship game against Lane Tech in Chicago. His grand slam home run in the 8th gives the New York team a 12 – 8 victory. Scouts sit with open mouths as the ball sails out of the National League park (later known as Wrigley Field).

1926 – The Cardinals move into second place with a win over the Cubs. The next day, Grover Alexander will earn a split with a four-hitter over his former teammates.

1927 – In Washington, the Senators make it three straight over Boston, winning, 8 – 7, scoring all of their runs in the 4th inning. Former Senator Buddy Myer belts a homer off Walter Johnson, who lasts five innings and gets credit for the win. Johnson will serve up six gopher balls to the Red Sox in his career, all in Washington. Goose Goslin homers, off Tony Welzer.

1934 – Paul Dean wins his tenth game against one loss, defeating the Giants, 13 – 7. Paul allows 15 hits, including homers by Travis Jackson and Mel Ott, in winning. Brother Dizzy’s record is 10-3.

1935 – Lloyd Waner has a still-standing major-league record 18 putouts in CF in a doubleheader as the Pirates take a pair from the Braves at Boston. The Buccaneers win, 2 – 1 and 5 – 1, behind Joe Bush and Bill Swift.

1938:

Carl Hubbell wins his 200th game, as the Giants beat the visiting Cubs, 5 – 1, and stretch their lead over the second-place Reds to two games. Larry French takes the loss. Newly-acquired Bob Seeds, up from Newark, leads the way with a 470-foot inside-the-park homer to the Eddie Grant memorial in dead center.

In the Phils-Reds split, Reds leadoff hitter Lonny Frey bangs out eight hits, just the third Red player to collect eight hits in a twinbill (after Dusty Miller, on October 9, 1898 and Kiki Cuyler, on July 30, 1936). Frey is 5 for 5 in the second game as the Reds win 8 – 5 behind Paul Derringer. Claude Passeau wins the opener, 10 – 3 for the Phils. Buck Jordan has four hits and Phil Weintraub and Chuck Klein hit homers.

1939 – In Philadelphia, the Yankees play the first night game in franchise history losing to Connie Mack’s A’s, 3 – 2.

1940 – Sam Chapman is 5 for 5, including a grand slam, to lead the Browns to a win over the A’s.

1944 – At the Polo Grounds, with over 50,000 fans looking on, the three New York major league teams play against each other in a six-inning three-team game (each team plays consecutive innings against the other two teams then sits out an inning). The contest, which is played to raise money for war bonds ends with the final score of Dodgers 5, Yankees 1, Giants 0.

1946 – After batting only .048 (2 for 48), Mel Ott decides to stop playing and only manage the Giants.

1949 – Pat Mullin hits three home runs for the Detroit Tigers in a 12 – 4 win over the Yankees in the second game of a doubleheader.

1951 – Fresh from a doubleheader loss on the 24th at Forbes Field, the Dodgers get further bad news at the Polo Grounds. Sal Maglie shuts out Brooklyn on three hits, and Preacher Roe takes his first loss after ten wins. Eddie Stanky and Whitey Lockman hit homers.

1956 – Robin Roberts and the Phillies hand the Braves a 4 – 2 loss. It is the first loss for the Braves after 11 wins under new manager Fred Haney.

1958:

The Braves fall to the Dodgers, 4 – 1, and cut their lead over St. Louis to 1 1/2 games.

Joe Gordon replaces Bobby Bragan as manager of the Cleveland Indians, signing a contract through 1959.

Hector Lopez of the Kansas City Athletics hits three home runs in a 8 – 6, 12-inning home win against Washington. His third homer is a two-run shot to win the game. Roy Sievers almost matches Lopez with two homers.

1960:

At Forbes Field, Cubs rookie Ron Santo, making his major league debut, leads Chicago to a sweep of the first-place Pirates. Santo is 3 for 7 and drives in five runs as the Cubs win, 7 – 5 and 7 – 6.

Hoping to speed up the election process, the Hall of Fame changes its voting procedures. The new rules allow the Special Veterans Committee to vote annually, rather than every other year, and to induct up to two players a year. The BBWAA is authorized to hold a runoff election of the top 30 vote getters if no one is elected in the first ballot.

1961:

Don DiChiara sets a New York-Penn League record with four consecutive home runs in Batavia’s 14 – 9 loss to Jamestown.

At Los Angeles’s Wrigley Field, Angel reliever Art Fowler, who has allowed just one hit in his last 12 innings, serves up a 9th-inning home run to Bill Skowron as New York wins, 8 – 6. Mickey Mantle adds an earlier homer, off Ken McBride, and Whitey Ford wins his 13th. Yogi Berra collects his 2,000th career hit, all as a Bronx Bomber. To celebrate the achievement a huge cake is rolled out.

1962 – Earl Wilson pitches a no-hitter, his first major league shutout, as Boston beats the Los Angeles Angels, 2 – 0. The righthander also hits a home run off loser Bo Belinsky, who pitched his no-hitter six weeks earlier.

1964 – Twins P Gerry Arrigo just misses a no-hitter when Chicago’s Mike Hershberger laces a 9th-inning single, as the Twins beat the Sox, 2 – 0. Arrigo will toss another one-hitter while pitching for the Cincinnati Reds.

1966:

Chicago’s Ron Santo singles in the 1st and his next time up is struck in the face by a Jack Fisher pitch that fractures his cheek. Before Santo’s at bat, the Mets’ Ron Hunt and the Cubs’ Adolfo Phillips had both been hit by pitches. Santo will be operated on the following day but will return to action in a week. The injury ends his consecutive game streak at 390, but his hitting streak continues.

Sandy Koufax (13-2) matches his National League record of seven consecutive strikeouts in consecutive nine-inning appearances on his way to a 2 – 1 win in Atlanta.

The Major League Executive Council decides that both the American League and National League will play 162-game schedules in 1969 and operate two six-team divisions each.

1968 – Cardinal Bob Gibson pitches his fifth straight shutout in the first game of a doubleheader with Pittsburgh. Pittsburgh wins the second game, 3 – 1, although the Cardinals stop Maury Wills’ 24-game hitting streak.

1970 – Frank Robinson belts two successive grand slams during a 12 – 2 Oriole romp over the Senators, just the seventh major leaguer to ever accomplish the feat. Dave McNally, the winning pitcher, Don Buford and Paul Blair trot home ahead of him on each blow. They will be Robby’s only grand slams for the O’s.

1971:

Last year’s American League batting king, Alex Johnson, is suspended by the Angels following a series of incidents (including five benchings and 29 fines) resulting from his failure to hustle.

The Brewers’ Marty Pattin gives up 11 hits to Minnesota, but still shuts them out, 5 – 0.

1972:

Detroit’s Bill Slayback makes his major league debut a good one, allowing no hits for seven innings against the Yankees. Johnny Callison’s single in the 8th is the first hit, but Detroit hangs on to a 4 – 3 win.

Brewer Billy Conigliaro jumps his club for the comfort of a Massachusetts island retreat.

1976 – Marty Pattin and Steve Mingori combine on a one-hit shutout as the Royals beat the Angels, 3 – 0.

1977:

In a sweep of Texas, both by 4 – 3 scores, Angels 2B Jerry Remy has 26 chances, an American League record (4 putouts, 12 assists in 11-inning game 1; 5 putouts, 5 asists in the second game). This comes two days after 2B Don Money tied the AL mark with 12 assists.

On Jersey Day in Minnesota, every fan receives a jersey with #29 on it, Rod Carew’s number. Carew responds by going 4 for 5, scoring four runs, and raising his average to .403. One of the hits is a grand slam and he will hit another slam on July 4th. Teammate Glenn Adams drives in eight as the Twins beat the White Sox, 19 – 12.

In front of 55,039 fans, the Yankees complete a three-game sweep of the Red Sox, avenging the three losses last week to the Sox at Fenway Park. New York takes a 4 – 1 lead into the 9th, but the Sox tie the game. In the bottom of the 9th, Paul Blair bounces a bases-loaded ball over the head of Butch Hobson at third base to pin the loss on reliever Bill Campbell.

Pete Vuckovich pitches the first shutout in Blue Jay history, blanking the Orioles, 2 – 0.

1978 – Toronto’s Dave McKay and Otto Velez each hit two doubles in one inning during a 24 – 10 rout of Baltimore. With the score 19 – 6 following a homer by Lee May, Earl Weaver brings in OF Larry Harlow to pitch to the Blue Jays. Harlow gets two batters out in the 5th, then walks three in a row and hurls a wild pitch. He then allows a single, a walk, and a grand slam by John Mayberry makes the score 24 – 6. Bullpen catcher Ellie Hendricks then relieves Harlow and gives up just a walk and no runs in 2 1/3 innings. Closer Don Stanhouse takes over in the 8th.

1979 – The Yankees reacquire the popular Bobby Murcer from the Cubs in exchange for P Paul Semall and cash. Murcer will once again thrive in Yankee Stadium, hitting .273 with eight home runs.

1980 – Commissioner Bowie Kuhn voids the Yankees’ drafting of highly-touted high school shortstop Billy Cannon, Jr. Four teams had complained that Billy Cannon, Sr., college football’s Heisman Trophy winner in 1959, misled them with telegrams saying that his son would go to college, in the hopes that he would then be drafted by the Yankees. In a special draft, the Indians will pick Cannon but he chooses to attend Texas A & M instead. The young Cannon will be drafted in the first round by the National Football League’s Dallas Cowboys in 1984.

1982 – Despite managing just one hit in each game, the Appleton Foxes (Midwest League) sweep a doubleheader from the Wisconsin Rapids Twins, 2 – 1 and 1 – 0.

1983:

Met Rusty Staub delivers his eighth consecutive pinch hit in the 9th inning of an 8 – 4 loss to the Phillies, tying Dave Philley for the all-time major league record. Staub’s streak will be snapped by the Cards’ Bruce Sutter three days from now.

Baltimore’s Storm Davis holds the Tigers hitless for eight innings, then needs help from reliever Tippy Martinez to complete a 3 – 1 victory. Pinch hitter Rick Leach, who had been in a 3 for 35 slump, breaks up the no-hit bid with his first home run of the year, leading off the 9th.

1984 – Pirate Jason Thompson hits a pair of home runs in each game of a doubleheader split with the Cubs. The Pirates take the opener, 9 – 0, behind Rick Rhoden’s four-hitter, and lose the nitecap, 9 – 8.

1985:

In Clearwater (Florida State League), after a disputed call at first base, Phillies organist Wilbur Snapp is ejected by first base umpire Kevin O’Connor for playing “Three Blind Mice”.

Minnesota’s Ken Schrom one-hits Kansas City, but needs a two-run single from Roy Smalley in the bottom of the 9th to secure the 2 – 1 victory. Willie Wilson’s 3rd-inning single is the only Royals hit.

The Cubs beat the Mets, 7 – 3, ending a club-record-tying losing streak at 13 games, their longest loss streak since 1944.

1986 – The A’s fire manager Jackie Moore and name Jeff Newman his interim replacement. They will eventually hire recently-ousted White Sox manager Tony LaRussa.

1987:

Wade Boggs has his hitting streak snapped at 25 games and the Rocket sputters as Roger Clemens fails to hold a 9 – 0, 2nd-inning lead. Boston loses to New York, 12 – 11, in ten innings. The nine-run comeback ties a Yankee team record: Boston, alas, has blown bigger leads.

You gotta give him credit for trying. Paul Noce of the Cubs ties a major-league record (tied 11 days ago) in the 3rd inning by twice being thrown out trying to steal. A dropped ball leaves him safe at second base after he is caught, then he is thrown out trying to steal third. Pittsburgh beats Greg Maddux and the Cubs, 5 – 2. Maddux will finish 6-14, his last losing season until 2005.

1991:

The California Angels set an American League mark by playing their 13th consecutive errorless game, a 10 – 5 win over Kansas City. The previous mark of 12 had been set by Detroit in 1963.

Mickey Tettleton repeats his feat of four days ago by again hitting a home run out of Tiger Stadium, in an 8 – 7 win over the Brewers. The Tigers break a 7 – 7 tie with two outs in the 9th.

1992 – The Padres top the Giants, 6 – 2, scoring four runs in the 4th. The Pads might have scored more but Tony Fernandez is thrown out twice in the inning, matching the major league record. Fernandez will attempt to steal 40 times this season, and be successful on just half; this is the worst percentage for anyone with 20 steals since Jack Fournier in 1923 (for seasons in which times caught stealing was counted).

1996 – Dodgers manager Tommy Lasorda undergoes an angioplasty after suffering a mild heart attack. Bill Russell is named Los Angeles’ interim manager.

1997 – In Detroit’s 10 – 6 walloping of the Red Sox, Tiger Brian Hunter swipes four bases. Detroit also gets a home run from Shane Mack to offset two Boston homers.

1999:

Kansas City scores ten runs in the 8th inning to defeat the Indians, 11 – 7. The Royals total eight hits in the game and their only home run is a two-out solo shot by Johnny Damon in the big frame.

Boston scores 11 runs in the 1st inning on the way to a 17 – 1 victory over the White Sox. Pedro Martinez (14-2) goes five innings with John Wasdin pitching the last four. Brian Daubach and Nomar Garciaparra homer in the 1st with Nomar adding another in the 3rd. Mike Stanley and Jason Varitek also homer in the game for Boston.

Shortstop Pat Meares of the Pittsburgh Pirates, on the disabled list recovering from surgery on his left hand, participates in a sausage race at Milwaukee’s County Stadium. Meares, dressed as a ten-foot bratwurst, wins the race defeating a giant hot dog and a polish sausage. Two days ago, Meares was caught on videotape sunbathing in the upper deck of Philadelphia’s Veterans Stadium for the first six innings of a game.

2000:

The Padres defeat the Dodgers, 9 – 5, scoring eight runs in the 2nd inning.

The Diamondbacks defeat the Astros, 6 – 1. Arizona rookie 1B Alex Cabrera hits a pinch-hit two-run home run in his first major league at bat.

2001 – The Marlins’ Brad Penny (8 innings) and Antonio Alfonseca (1 inning) combine to one-hit the Expos, 3 – 0. 3B Geoff Blum’s single is the only Montreal hit.

2003:

Edgar Martinez, who already holds the Mariners’ all-time records for games played, at-bats, hits, doubles, total bases, extra-base hits, walks and runs scored, passes Ken Griffey Jr.’s mark for team career RBIs. His two-run homer in the Mariners’ 10 – 6 victory over the Angels gives the All-Star designated hitter 1,153 RBIs – one more than Junior.

Giving his team a short-lived 3 – 0 lead (ultimately coughed up in a 5 – 3 come-from-behind win by the visiting Brewers), Chicago’s Sammy Sosa comes to the plate with one out and one on in the 5th and launches a GPS-measured 536-foot homer onto Kenmore Avenue, believed to be the longest home run in Wrigley Field history.

2009:

Brett Gardner collects five hits, including a triple and a homer, as the Yankees beat the Mets, 9 – 1, before a record-breaking crowd at Citi Field. Alex Rodriguez hits home run number 564 of his career, passing Reggie Jackson on the all-time list; Jackson was sixth at the time of his retirement in 1987 but falls to twelfth now. Three errors by the Mets’ infield in the 2nd lead to four runs.

Andre Ethier hits three home runs and drives in six runs, both career highs, as the Dodgers dispose of Seattle, 8 – 2.

2010:

The Red Sox get bad news before today’s game, learning that 2B Dustin Pedroia, their hottest hitter this year, has a fractured left foot, the result of fouling off a ball in last night’s game. He joins four other Sox regulars on the disabled list – Josh Beckett, Jacoby Ellsbury, Mike Lowell and Jeremy Hermida. Then, in the game against the Giants, pitcher Clay Buchholz comes up lame in the top of the 2nd inning after reaching base with his first major league hit and must be removed from the game. But the bullpen comes up big, as seven relievers give up only two runs in eight innings and the Sox win, 4 – 2. Darnell McDonald and Mike Cameron homer for Boston. Before the game, the Giants retire number 20 in honor of Hall of Fame OF Monte Irvin. In tomorrow’s game, C Victor Martinez will suffer a broken left thumb, adding to Boston’s injury woes.

Paul Konerko hits an 8th-inning homer off Andrew Cashner to snap a 2 – 2 tie and the White Sox extend their winning streak to 11 games, beating their crosstown rivals the Cubs, 3 – 2.

Five new members are inducted into the Salón de la Fama. Honored are Gerardo Sánchez (the holder of the most consecutive games played streak in the Mexican League), Derek Bryant (the first Mexican Leaguer with a four-homer game), Alonso Téllez (a record 17 straight seasons of 100+ hits in Mexico), Armando Reynoso (former major league pitcher) and umpire Efraín Ibarra (posthumously).

2011:

The Nationals confirm the hiring of Davey Johnson as their new manager, three days after the sudden resignation of Jim Riggleman. Johnson, who last managed in 2000 with the Los Angeles Dodgers, will take over tomorrow against the Angels. Meanwhile, interim manager John McLaren goes out a winner, as the Nats beat the White Sox, 2 – 1, to give him a 2-1 record during his stint as skipper; he is offered a job as a scout within the organization. Rookie 2B Danny Espinosa hits the key homer in the 7th inning while Livan Hernandez is the winner.

The Rays beat the Astros, 14 – 10, in an old-fashioned slugfest. Evan Longoria is given a game-tying two-run home run in the 6th, after initially being ruled out at second for attempting to stretch a single off the wall into a double; the instant replay shows the ball in fact bounced in the stands before falling back on the field. Longoria finishes the day 4 fo 6, adding a second homer in the 9th, a towering three-run shot that leaves no doubt as to its status.

The interleague series between Florida and Seattle is plagued by scheduling problems, first being moved across the country because of a concert by the rock band U2 in Miami, and then seeing the start of today’s game delayed until 7:05 pm – the latest ever for a Sunday night game at Safeco Field – because the Seattle Sounders of Major League Soccer are playing an afternoon game and municipal authorities do not have the capacity to deal with simultaneous sporting events in neighboring locations. The game itself ends on a wacky play, as the Mariners’ Dustin Ackley scores the winning run on a wild pitch by Steve Cishek in the 10th inning. The game is not over, though, since the Marlins are the home team, but Brandon League pitches a scoreless bottom of the 10th to preserve the 2 – 1 win. The Marlins are now 3-22 in June.

2012:

Reds starter Bronson Arroyo keeps the Brewers hitless until the 8th inning, when he suddenly runs into trouble. Nursing a 3 – 0 lead resulting from Jay Bruce’s 6th-inning homer with two on, Arroyo walks George Kottaras with one out, then Tyler Green doubles to break the no-hitter. Another double by pinch-hitter Corey Hart and a single by Norichika Aoki tie the game. Arroyo leaves with a no-decision. Sean Marshall inherits the win when Drew Stubbs homers to lead off the bottom of the 8th, and Aroldis Chapman picks up his ninth save by striking out the side, celebrating with a double forward somesault. Chapman had blown his last two save chances and was sporting an ERA of 11.37 over his last seven games.

Rob Cordemans, tied for the Hoofdklasse win record at 150 (even with Bart Volkerijk), tosses a gem of a game only to lose. Cordemans gives up four hits, no walks and no earned runs in eight innings while fanning 12 for the L&D Amsterdam Pirates, but loses a 1 – 0 duel to DOOR Neptunus’ Tim Roodenburg and Dushan Ruzic (who fares much worse with nine hits to three strikeouts). In the 6th, an error by Björn Hato lets Lennart Koster aboard for Neptunus and he winds up scoring on a hit by Rafaël Jozefa to delay Cordemans’ date with history.

2013:

Ismel Jiménez is named Serie Nacional Most Valuable Player for 2012-2013; the Sancti Spiritus hurler had gone 9-0 with a 1.06 ERA and is the first pitcher to win MVP since Maels Rodríguez 11 years earlier. Norge Luis Ruíz takes the Rookie of the Year Award. SS Yordan Manduley and OF Dayron Varona are the only players to win both Offensive All-Star and Gold Glove honors at their positions.

The Pirates win their sixth straight game on the road, 4 – 2 over the Mariners, thanks to a two-run single by Jordy Mercer with two outs in the 9th. With the Cardinals’ 4 – 3 loss to the Astros, the Bucs are now tied for the lead in the NL Central.

2015 – Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg resigns in his third season with his team in last place.

2017 – The Marlins trade SS Adeiny Hechevarria to the Rays in return for two prospects, Braxton Lee and Ethan Clark, while the Rockies acquire P Zac Rosscup from the Cubs for Matt Carasiti.

2018 – Mets General Manager Sandy Alderson takes a leave of absence to fight a recurrence of cancer. He had already taken some time off to undergo chemotherapy after the 2015 season.

2019 – Vanderbilt University defeats the University of Michigan, 8 – 2, in the third and final game of the finals to with the 2019 College World Series. It is the second title in school history, the other having been obtained in 2014. Freshman Kumar Rocker is the winner of the College World Series Most Outstanding Player Award.

2021:

The Diamondbacks finally end their record streak of 24 consecutive road losses by beating the Padres, 10 – 1. Merrill Kelly is the beneficiary of the rare offensive outburst, including a 4-for-5 game and five RBIs by Eduardo Escobar.

The Dominican national team wins the sixth and last spot in the Tokyo Olympics, beating Venezuela, 8 – 5, in the finale of the Final Olympic Qualifier. Diego Rincones hits a three-run homer in the 2nd for Venezuela but Melky Cabrera hits a two-run dinger for the Dominicans, who then string together six straight hits in the 4th as part of a six-run inning to win. Darío Álvarez gets the win as the Dominicans return to the Olympics after missing the baseball portion the prior four times, having last played in Barcelona in 1992. While the last qualifiers, the Dominicans will wind up taking home the Bronze Medal.

2022 – The University of Mississippi wins the 2022 College World Series, sweeping both games of the finals against the University of Oklahoma. In today’s game, they win, 4 – 2, for the first title in school history. Ole Miss was the last school to secure its spot in the tournament and a definite underdog before play began. Pitcher Dylan DeLucia is named the College World Series Most Outstanding Player.

2023 – Louisiana State University wins the 2023 College World Series with an 18 – 4 win over the University of Florida in the final game, one day after losing 24 – 4 to the Gators. Paul Skenes is named the recipient of the College World Series Most Outstanding Player award. It is the Tigers’ seventh title overall, and first since 2009.

2024:

Shohei Ohtani leads off today’s game at Guaranteed Rate Field with a homer off Erick Fedde of the White Sox. This gives him a RBI in a tenth straight game, setting a new Dodgers franchise record; the previous mark of nine such games had been shared by Eddie Brown (1924), Augie Galan (1944), Roy Campanella (1955) and Matt Kemp (2011-2012). The Dodgers never look back, winning the game, 4 – 0.

The Athletics lose a run in very rare fashion as Kyle McCann stumbles on his way to crossing home plate on a double by Max Schuemann in the 2nd inning against the Angels. McCann misses the plate and Armando Alvarez, who scored just ahead of him, points this out to him, but in doing so he steadies his teammate and helps him to turn around to retouch the plate. Home plate umpire John Bacon calls McCann out on interference for receiving assistance from Alvarez, and the run is nullified. The Angels go on to win the game, 5 – 2.

2025:

This year’s first two All-Stars are revealed, as OF Aaron Judge of the Yankees and DH Shohei Ohtani of the Dodgers are voted in as starters after topping their respective leagues in the first round of fan voting.

Wander Franco, who has not played in the majors since 2023, is found guilty of sexual abuse on a minor by a court in the Dominican Republic and receives a two-year suspended prison sentence. While he does not face immediate jail time, he still faces discipline by Major League Baseball, and is unlikely to ever be allowed to travel to the USA again given his criminal record.

Births[edit]

1858 – Ren Deagle, pitcher (d. 1936)

1858 – Denny Sullivan, infielder (d. 1925)

1860 – Al Strueve, catcher/outfielder (d. 1929)

1872 – Robert Stafford, minor league infielder and manager (d. 1916)

1873 – Henry Schmidt, pitcher (d. 1926)

1874 – Topsy Hartsel, outfielder (d. 1944)

1881 – Harry Womack, minor league pitcher and manager (d. 1931)

1891 – Justin Fitzgerald, outfielder (d. 1945)

1891 – Al Huenke, pitcher (d. 1974)

1893 – Elmer Ponder, pitcher (d. 1974)

1895 – Cy Lingle, minor league catcher (d. 1963)

1895 – Charley Wilson, pitcher (d. 1965)

1898 – Clayton Sheedy, scout (d. 1967)

1900 – Elmer Yoter, infielder (d. 1966)

1903 – Babe Herman, outfielder (d. 1987)

1903 – George Milstead, pitcher (d. 1977)

1906 – Bill Perkins, catcher; All-Star (d. 1958)

1907 – Debs Garms, outfielder (d. 1984)

1910 – Jim Henry, pitcher (d. 1976)

1911 – Caesar Sinibaldi, scout (d. 1982)

1911 – Babe Zaharias, multi-sport star (d. 1956)

1913 – Ralph Coles, outfielder (d. 1984)

1913 – Russ Lyon, catcher (d. 1975)

1914 – Juan Guilbe, pitcher (d. 1994)

1914 – Walt Rabb, college coach (d. 2006)

1915 – Willard Brown, outfielder; All-Star; Hall of Fame (d. 1996)

1917 – Alphonso Gerard, outfielder (d. 2002)

1918 – Elmer Singleton, pitcher (d. 1996)

1920 – Jay Haney, minor league outfielder and manager (d. 1982)

1920 – Jean-Pierre Roy, pitcher (d. 2014)

1921 – Howie Pollet, pitcher; All-Star (d. 1974)

1921 – Red Smith, minor league catcher and manager (d. 1979)

1923 – Kenichi Kageura, NPB infielder

1924 – Ernest Burke, pitcher (d. 2004)

1926 – Al Preston, pitcher (d. 1979)

1929 – Dick Tettelbach, outfielder (d. 1995)

1930 – Juan Vistuer, minor league outfielder

1931 – Joe Osinski, minor league catcher (d. 2016)

1932 – Renzo Ishii, college coach; Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame

1933 – Joe Albanese, pitcher (d. 2000)

1933 – Hsien-De Chou, Taiwan national team catcher

1933 – Gene Green, outfielder (d. 1981)

1935 – Oswaldo Carrillo, Venezuelan national team infielder

1935 – Hank Greenwald, announcer (d. 2018)

1941 – Gil Garrido, infielder

1941 – Mamoru Miyoshi, NPB outfielder (d. 2010)

1943 – Bill Robinson, outfielder (d. 2007)

1946 – Reggie Thomas, minor league outfielder (d. 1980)

1946 – Larry Womack, minor league pitcher (d. 2022)

1948 – Pete Dunn, college coach

1950 – Masanori Matsui, NPB infielder

1950 – Dave Rosello, infielder

1950 – Hiroshi Suzuki, Japanese national team coach

1952 – Steve Bowling, outfielder

1955 – Hidetaka Horiba, NPB catcher

1955 – Manny Seoane, pitcher

1956 – Mitsuo Sumi, NPB pitcher

1957 – Jose Barrios, infielder

1957 – Mike Griffin, pitcher

1958 – Luis Arauz, Nicaraguan national team pitcher

1958 – David Sullivan, minor league catcher (d. 2019)

1959 – Mark Haley, minor league manager

1960 – Pete Dalena, designated hitter

1961 – Michio Nabeya, NPB pitcher

1964 – Omar Bencomo, minor league pitcher

1964 – Kevin Koentopp, minor league outfielder

1965 – Michael Eberlein, Bundesliga infielder

1965 – Yoshitomo Higa, NPB pitcher

1968 – Cecil Pettiford, minor league pitcher

1968 – Jorge Tissert, Cuban league pitcher

1969 – Mike Myers, pitcher

1969 – Rodney Myers, pitcher

1969 – Robin Roy, French national team pitcher

1971 – Greg Blosser, outfielder

1971 – Alexander Fedorov, Russian national team infielder

1971 – Chuan-Chia Wang, CPBL outfielder

1972 – In-kwon Kang, KBO catcher and manager

1972 – Ryuji Minami, NPB pitcher

1973 – Tetsu Yofu, minor league pitcher and manager

1974 – Andrea Castrì, minor league infielder

1974 – Derek Jeter, infielder; All-Star ; Hall of Fame

1974 – Jason Kendall, catcher; All-Star

1975 – Jason Middlebrook, pitcher

1977 – Greg MacKoul, minor league pitcher

1978 – Hugh Quattlebaum, coach

1978 – Virgilio Roxas, Philippines national team infielder

1979 – Audes de Leon, minor league player

1979 – Brent Del Chiaro, minor league catcher

1979 – Luis A. Gonzalez, infielder

1979 – Tomoki Sato, NPB pitcher

1980 – Chris Shelton, infielder

1980 – Michael Vick, drafted outfielder

1981 – Shadley Sasman, South African national team pitcher

1981 – Takashi Toritani, NPB infielder

1982 – Masashi Chikazawa, NPB catcher

1983 – Gordon Gronkowski, minor league infielder

1983 – Po-Hung Wu, CPBL infielder

1984 – Elijah Dukes, outfielder

1984 – Luis Hernandez, infielder

1984 – Jose Jaimes, minor league pitcher

1984 – Hirotoshi Masui, NPB pitcher

1984 – Junya Ohara, NPB infielder

1984 – Jeong-jun Park, KBO outfielder

1984 – Tetsuya Yokoyama, NPB catcher

1985 – Christian Vitters, minor league infielder

1986 – Mike Bianucci, minor league outfielder

1986 – Hae-soo Jin, KBO pitcher

1986 – Michael Kohn, pitcher

1986 – Lou Marson, catcher

1986 – Dale Mollenhauer, minor league infielder

1987 – Matthew Lawman, minor league infielder

1987 – Reo Moriyasu, Japanese national team pitcher

1988 – Hamilton Bennett, minor league pitcher

1988 – Jacke Healey, college coach

1988 – Ennio Retrosi, Italian Baseball League outfielder

1989 – Aritz García, minor league infielder

1990 – Ray Black, pitcher

1990 – Drew Gagnon, pitcher

1990 – Brooks Hall, minor league pitcher

1990 – Steve Proscia, minor league infielder

1991 – Björn Hato, minor league infielder

1991 – Elizabeth Santana, Puerto Rican women’s national team pitcher

1992 – Ryan Thompson, pitcher

1992 – Austin Voth, pitcher

1994 – Eli White, infielder

1994 – Yoshiki Yamada, Japanese national team pitcher

1995 – Darren Boltman, South African national team infielder

1995 – Andrés López, Puerto Rican national team infielder

1996 – Riley Adams, catcher

1996 – Sarah Edwards, minor league coach

1997 – Justin Bruihl, pitcher

1997 – Dugan Darnell, pitcher

1997 – Christos Gkiatas, Greek national team outfielder

1997 – Lyle Lin, minor league catcher

1997 – Jon Lund, college coach

1997 – Eli Villalobos, pitcher

1998 – Cesare Astorri, minor league catcher

1998 – Khalil Lee, outfielder

1999 – Joseph Alcontin, Philippines national team infielder

1999 – Trolle Brandt, Elitserien infielder

1999 – Maud Werkman, Dutch women’s national team pitcher

2000 – Franco Aleman, pitcher

2000 – Chad Dallas, pitcher

2000 – Yuki Nomura, NPB infielder

2001 – Marek Krejčiřík, Extraliga infielder

2001 – Sterlin Thompson, outfielder

2003 – Jake Chaisonkram, Thai national team outfielder

2003 – Zac Colletti, Great Britain national team pitcher

2003 – JR Ritchie, pitcher

2004 – Alexander Armenta, NPB pitcher

Deaths[edit]

1906 – Herbert Whitney, minor league catcher (b. 1879)

1925 – Sam Crane, infielder, manager (b. 1854)

1939 – Tom Murray, infielder (b. 1868)

1940 – Billy Reid, infielder (b. 1857)

1940 – Jimmie Savage, outfielder (b. 1883)

1946 – Chris Hartje, catcher (b. 1915)

1948 – Jimmy Esmond, infielder (b. 1889)

1954 – Charlie Pick, infielder (b. 1888)

1957 – Tom Whelan, infielder (b. 1894)

1959 – Joe Sugden, catcher (b. 1870)

1961 – Bill Collins, outfielder (b. 1882)

1966 – Lil Stoner, pitcher (b. 1899)

1970 – Jorge Arrieta, Venezuelan national team pitcher (b. 1923)

1971 – Charles Walsh, minor league infielder and manager (b. 1903)

1972 – Mike Kircher, pitcher (b. 1897)

1977 – Jack Berly, pitcher (b. 1903)

1983 – Don Rader, infielder (b. 1893)

1985 – Wes Schulmerich, outfielder (b. 1901)

1987 – Jay Avrea, pitcher (b. 1920)

1991 – Johnny Johnson, pitcher (b. 1914)

1992 – Jim Cullinane, minor league infielder (b. 1918)

1993 – Roy Campanella, catcher; All-Star, Hall of Famer (b. 1921)

1996 – Buck Frierson, outfielder (b. 1917)

1997 – Don Hutson, minor league player (b. 1913)

1997 – Armando Roche, pitcher (b. 1926)

1999 – Tim Layana, pitcher (b. 1964)

2001 – Darius Bea, catcher (b. 1913)

2006 – Jack Urban, pitcher (b. 1928)

2012 – Paul Bargas, minor league pitcher (b. 1988)

2012 – Walter Plant, minor league infielder (b. 1921)

2013 – Justin Miller, pitcher (b. 1977)

2015 – Kal Segrist, infielder (b. 1931)

2019 – Alex Cosmidis, scout (b. 1928)

2023 – Ulysses Hollimon, Negro leagues pitcher (b. 1931)

==============================================

TV SPORTS TODAY

(All times Eastern)

Schedule subject to change and/or blackouts

Friday, June 26

AUTO RACING

7:30 a.m.

APPLE TV — Formula 1: Practice, Red Bull Ring, Spielberg, Austria

11 a.m.

APPLE TV — Formula 1: Practice, Red Bull Ring, Spielberg, Austria

6:30 a.m. (Saturday)

APPLE TV — Formula 1: Practice, Red Bull Ring, Spielberg, Austria

GOLF

7 a.m.

GOLF — DP World Tour: DS Automobiles 83° Open d’Italia, Second Round, Circolo Golf Torino, Fiano, Torino, Italy

11 .m.

GOLF — LPGA Tour: KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, Second Round, Hazeltine National Golf Club, Chaska, Minn.

3 p.m.

GOLF — PGA Tour: Travelers Championship, Second Round, TPC River Highlands, Cromwell, Conn.

9 p.m.

GOLF — PGA Tour Champions: DICK’S Open, First Round, En-Joie Golf Course, Endicott, N.Y. (taped)

MLB BASEBALL

7 p.m.

MLBN — Seattle at Cleveland (7:10 p.m.)

7:40 p.m.

APPLE TV — Chicago Cubs at Milwaukee

9:40 p.m.

APPLE TV — L.A. Dodgers at San Diego

10 p.m.

MLBN — Atlanta at San Francisco (10:15 p.m.)

SOCCER (MEN’S)

3 p.m.

FOX — FIFA World Cup Group Stage: Norway vs. France, Group I, Foxborough, Mass.

FS1 — FIFA World Cup Group Stage: Senegal vs. Iraq, Group I, Toronto

8 p.m.

FOX — FIFA World Cup Group Stage: Uruguay vs. Spain, Group H, Guadalajara, Mexico

FS1 — FIFA World Cup Group Stage: Cape Verde vs. Saudi Arabia, Group H, Houston

11 p.m.

FOX — FIFA World Cup Group Stage: New Zealand vs. Belgium, Group G, Vancouver, British Columbia

FS1 — FIFA World Cup Group Stage: Egypt vs. Iran, Group G, Seattle

SOFTBALL

6 p.m.

CBSSN — Athletes Unlimited: Talons at Blaze

8 p.m.

ESPNU — Athletes Unlimited: Cascade at Volts

WNBA BASKETBALL

7:30 p.m.

ION — TBA

10 p.m.

ION — Atlanta at Golden State

_____

Saturday, June 27

AUTO RACING

6:30 a.m.

APPLE TV — Formula 1: Practice, Red Bull Ring, Spielberg, Austria

10 a.m.

APPLE TV — Formula 1: Qualifying, Red Bull Ring, Spielberg, Austria

5:30 p.m.

CW — NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series: Pit Boss/FoodMaxx 250, Sonoma Raceway, Sonoma, Calif.

BIG3 BASKETBALL

4 p.m.

CBS — Week 2: LA Riot vs. Dallas Power, Detroit Amps vs. Miami 305, Houston Rig Hands vs. Boston Ball Hogs, DMV Trilogy vs. Chicago Triplets, Detroit

GOLF

7:30 a.m.

GOLF — DP World Tour: DS Automobiles 83° Open d’Italia, Third Round, Circolo Golf Torino, Fiano, Torino, Italy

10 a.m.

NBCSN — LPGA Tour: KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, Third Round, Hazeltine National Golf Club, Chaska, Minn.

Noon

NBC — LPGA Tour: KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, Third Round, Hazeltine National Golf Club, Chaska, Minn.

1 p.m.

GOLF — PGA Tour: Travelers Championship, Third Round, TPC River Highlands, Cromwell, Conn.

3 p.m.

GOLF — LPGA Tour: KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, Third Round, Hazeltine National Golf Club, Chaska, Minn.

NBC — PGA Tour: Travelers Championship, Third Round, TPC River Highlands, Cromwell, Conn.

5 p.m.

GOLF — PGA Tour Champions: DICK’S Open, Second Round, En-Joie Golf Course, Endicott, N.Y.

6 a.m. (Sunday)

GOLF — DP World Tour: DS Automobiles 83° Open d’Italia, Final Round, Circolo Golf Torino, Fiano, Torino, Italy

LACROSSE (MEN’S)

4 p.m.

ESPN — PLL: TBA, San Diego

MIXED MARTIAL ARTS

10 p.m.

ESPN2 — PFL: Main Card, San Diego

MLB BASEBALL

1 p.m.

ABC — N.Y. Yankees at Boston (1:10 p.m.)

4 p.m.

MLBN — Regional Coverage: Philadelphia at N.Y. Mets (4:10 p.m.) OR Kansas City at Chicago White Sox (4:10 p.m.)

8:30 p.m.

MLBN — Regional Coverage: L.A. Dodgers at San Diego (8:40 p.m.) OR Atlanta at San Francisco (9:05 p.m.)

SOCCER (MEN’S)

5 p.m.

FOX — FIFA World Cup Group Stage: Panama vs. England, Group L, East Rutherford, N.J.

FS1 — FIFA World Cup Group Stage: Croatia vs. Ghana, Group L, Philadelphia

7:30 p.m.

FOX — FIFA World Cup Group Stage: Colombia vs. Portugal, Group K, Miami Gardens, Fla.

FS1 — FIFA World Cup Group Stage: Congo DR vs. Uzbekistan, Group K, Atlanta

10 p.m.

FOX — FIFA World Cup Group Stage: Jordan vs. Argentina, Group J, Arlington, Texas

FS1 — FIFA World Cup Group Stage: Algeria vs. Austria, Group J, Kansas City, Mo.

SOFTBALL

2 p.m.

ESPN — Athletes Unlimited: Talons at Blaze

5 p.m.

CBSSN — Athletes Unlimited: Bandits at Spark

WNBA BASKETBALL

2 p.m.

CBS — Phoenix at Toronto

8 p.m.

CBS — Los Angeles at Indiana

X GAMES

4 p.m.

ABC — X Games Sacramento 2026: Day 2, From Sacramento, Calif.

_____

Sunday, June 28

AUTO RACING

9 a.m.

APPLE TV — Formula 1: Lenova Austrian Grand Prix, Red Bull Ring, Spielberg, Austria

3:30 p.m.

TNT — NASCAR Cup Series: Toyota / Save Mart 350, In-Season Challenge – Round 1, Sonoma Raceway, Sonoma, Calif.

5:30 p.m.

FOX — NHRA: Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals, Summit Racing Equipment Motorsports Park, Norwalk, Ohio

GOLF

6 a.m.

GOLF — DP World Tour: DS Automobiles 83° Open d’Italia, Final Round, Circolo Golf Torino, Fiano, Torino, Italy

9 a.m.

NBCSN — LPGA Tour: KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, Final Round, Hazeltine National Golf Club, Chaska, Minn.

11 a.m.

GOLF — PGA Tour Champions: DICK’S Open, Final Round, En-Joie Golf Course, Endicott, N.Y.

1 p.m.

NBC — LPGA Tour: KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, Final Round, Hazeltine National Golf Club, Chaska, Minn.

2 p.m.

GOLF — PGA Tour: Travelers Championship, Final Round, TPC River Highlands, Cromwell, Conn.

4 p.m.

NBC — PGA Tour: Travelers Championship, Final Round, TPC River Highlands, Cromwell, Conn.

MLB BASEBALL

1:30 p.m.

MLBN — Regional Coverage: Cincinnati at Pittsburgh (1:35 p.m.) OR Arizona at Tampa Bay (1:40 p.m.)

3 p.m.

NBCSN — Athletics at L.A. Angels (3:15 p.m.)

PEACOCK — Athletics at L.A. Angels (3:15 p.m.)

7 p.m.

NBC — N.Y. Yankees at Boston (7:20 p.m.)

PEACOCK — N.Y. Yankees at Boston (7:20 p.m.)

SOCCER (MEN’S)

3 p.m.

FOX — FIFA World Cup Knockout Stage: TBD, Inglewood, Calif.

SOFTBALL

1 p.m.

ESPN — Athletes Unlimited: Cascade at Volts

8 p.m.

MLBN — Athletes Unlimited: Bandits at Spark

WNBA BASKETBALL

2 p.m.

CBS — Minnesota at Dallas

4 p.m.

CBS — Las Vegas at Chicago

7 p.m.

ESPN — New York at Golden State

X GAMES

4 p.m.ABC — X Games Sacramento 2026: Day 2, From Sacramento, Calif.

About The Author

troyderengowski61@gmail.com

See author's posts