THE INDIANA SRN “SPORTSPAGE” THURSDAY JUNE 19, 2025

INDIANA HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL

FRIDAY, JUNE 20

CLASS 1A STATE CHAMPIONSHIP
4:30 PM ET / 3:30 CT | KOUTS (27-6) VS. INDIANAPOLIS LUTHERAN (20-10) 

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CLASS 3A STATE CHAMPIONSHIP
8 PM ET / 7 CT | ANDREAN (30-3) VS. JASPER (28-6) 

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SATURDAY, JUNE 21

CLASS 2A STATE CHAMPIONSHIP
4:30 PM ET / 3:30 CT | BOONE GROVE (25-6) VS. EVANSVILLE MATER DEI (23-7) 

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CLASS 4A STATE CHAMPIONSHIP 
8 PM ET / 7 CT | VALPARAISO (25-5) VS. EVANSVILLE NORTH (25-8) 

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INDIANA BOYS HIGH SCHOOL GOLF –STATE FINALS                                                                               

RESULTS: https://igf.bluegolf.com/bluegolf/igf25/event/igf25101/contest/1/leaderboard.htm

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NBA FINALS

• GAME 1: PACERS 111 THUNDER 110 (INDIANA LEADS SERIES 1-0)
• GAME 2: THUNDER 123 PACERS 107 (SERIES TIED AT 1-1)
• GAME 3: PACERS 116 THUNDER 107 (INDIANA LEADS SERIES 2-1)
• GAME 4: THUNDER 111 PACERS 104 (SERIES TIED 2-2)
• GAME 5: THUNDER 120 PACERS 109 (THUNDER LEAD SERIES 3-2)
• GAME 6: THUNDER AT PACERS (THU. JUNE 19, 8:30 ET, ABC)*
• GAME 7: PACERS AT THUNDER, SUN, JUNE 22, 8 ET ON ABC)*
* IF NECESSARY

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WNBA SCORES

PHOENIX 83 CONNECTICUT 75

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MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL SCORES

BOSTON 3 SEATTLE 1

PHILADELPHIA 4 MIAMI 2

COLORADO 3 WASHINGTON 1

LA ANGELS 3 NY YANKEES 2

TORONTO 8 ARIZONA 1

CINCINNATI 4 MINNESOTA 2 (6)

ATLANTA 5 NY METS 0

TAMPA BAY 12 BALTIMORE 8

KANSAS CITY 6 TEXAS 3

CLEVELAND 4 SAN FRANCISCO 2

HOUSTON 11 LAS VEGAS 4

LA DODGERS 4 SAN DIEGO 3

PITTSBURGH AT DETROIT POSTPONED

ST. LOUIS AT CHICAGO WHITE SOX POSTPONED

MILWAUKEE AT CHICAGO CUBS POSTPONED

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MINOR LEAGUE BASEBALL SCORES

COLUMBUS 4 INDIANAPOLIS 3 (SUSPENDED TOP 4

SOUTH BEND 4 LAKE COUNTY 2

FT. WAYNE AT DAYTON CANCELLED

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COLLEGE BASEBALL WORLD SERIES

COASTAL CAROLINA 11 LOUISVILLE 3

LSU 6 ARKANSAS 5

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MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER SCORES

NO GAMES SCHEDULED

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TOP NATIONAL NEWS HEADLINES/RELEASES

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NBA NEWS

REPORTS: BUSS FAMILY SELLING MAJORITY OWNERSHIP OF LAKERS

For the first time since 1979, the Los Angeles Lakers will not have the Buss family as a majority owner.

According to ESPN, the Buss family has entered into an agreement to sell majority ownership of the franchise to Mark Walter, CEO of diversified holding company TWG Global.

While Walter, who has been a stakeholder in the Lakers in 2021, will own the majority stake, Jeanie Buss will reportedly continue to serve in her role as the team’s governor.

One of the franchise’s all-time greats, Magic Johnson, said the team’s fans should be thrilled by the sale.

“Laker fans should be estatic. A few things I can tell you about Mark — he is driven by winning, excellence, and doing everything the right way. AND he will put in the resources needed to win! I can understand why Jeanie sold the team to Mark Walter because they are just alike – they are competitive people, l have big hearts, love to give back, and both prefer to be behind the scenes. This makes all the sense in the world. I am so so SO happy and excited for
@Lakers fans all over the world!!”

Jerry Buss purchased the Lakers from Jack Kent Cooke in 1979, a deal that also included the NHL’s Los Angeles Kings and the Los Angeles Forum. The Lakers won 11 of their 17 NBA championships under Buss family ownership.

The team’s ownership was passed on to Buss’ children when he died in 2013, with Jeanie taking over the responsibilities as team governor.

Walter will now step in as majority owner, although exact details of the agreement were not yet reported. That said, ESPN and The Athletic reported that the valuation of the deal is in the neighborhood of $10 billion — which would be the largest sale of a professional sports franchise in the world.

The Boston Celtics were sold for $6.1 billion earlier this year.

Walter has his hands in several other professional sports organizations, including the Los Angeles Dodgers and the WNBA’s Los Angeles Sparks.

THUNDER ONE WIN FROM TITLE, EXPECT ‘BEST PUNCH’ FROM PACERS IN GAME 6

One win away from the first NBA title in franchise history, Oklahoma City Thunder coach Mark Daigneault believes preparation for Game 6 of the Finals on Thursday night at Indianapolis boils down to how the other sneaker fits.

“We’re always trying to put ourselves in our opponent’s shoes,” Daigneault said of Oklahoma City’s focus with a 3-2 lead in the best-of-seven series ahead of the first elimination game of the NBA Finals.

“Zero and zero mindset. We’re not introducing any new concepts right now, we’re just relying on the psychological habits we’ve built over time.”

Perspective might be more challenging for Indiana Pacers coach Rick Carlisle as his squad faces the task of attempting to win two consecutive games against the Thunder with All-Star point guard Tyrese Haliburton at less than full strength.

Carlise said Wednesday it will be late afternoon or early evening Thursday before the Pacers have a realistic feel for what Haliburton can contribute as Indiana attempts to send the series back to Oklahoma City for Game 7 on Sunday night.

He participated in walkthrough Wednesday, but the 30-minute session involved no “real running” by Carlisle’s assessment.

“I think it depends on who you ask. I have to understand the risks, ask the right questions,” Haliburton said of how he’ll decide to play. “But I’m a competitor. I want to play. I’m going to do everything in my power to play.”

Haliburton scored 22 points and was one rebound shy of a triple-double in Indiana’s Game 3 victory on June 11.

Since that win, a calf strain has hampered his performance, which followed a tweaked ankle in Game 2.

As Oklahoma City turned a 2-1 series deficit to a 3-2 advantage, Haliburton has struggled from the field, hitting just 7 of 21 shots from the field over the past two games, including a 1-for-11 clip from 3-point range. He has totaled just 22 points in 70 minutes.

“You don’t underestimate great players. In the case that he plays, we’re expecting his best punch,” Daigneault said. “You don’t underestimate great teams. In the event he doesn’t play, we’re expecting Indiana’s best.”

Heroes of the series emerged from almost every segment of the rotation.

Haliburton’s near-triple-double in Game 3 was underscored by Indiana’s 49 bench points, 27 from Bennedict Mathurin and five steals from T.J. McConnell. Andrew Nembhard shifted to point guard in Haliburton’s place in the Eastern Conference semifinals last year, when the Pacers overcame a 3-2 series deficit to beat the Knicks in Games 6 and 7.

“I think obviously Tyrese is a big part of what we do. Whether he plays or not, I think it’s going to be a team thing,” Pacers forward Pascal Siakam said. “We have to together all step up. The importance of the game, we just all have to take a step forward. It’s going to be down the line.

“I don’t think any one of us should feel like one person is going to have to do it. It’s going to be collective.”

Siakam put up 28 points and stepped up in the fourth quarter of Game 5 without Haliburton. More of the same is in order if the Pacers wish to keep up with OKC’s 1-2 punch.

Thunder MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored a combined 66 points in Games 4 and 5. But the national spotlight has been shared with Oklahoma City’s Jalen Williams, who tallied 67 points over the same span, including a 40-point outburst in Game 5 with the Pacers setting a defense determined to help and force the ball out of SGA’s hands.

“It makes me sound like a jerk,” Williams said of not answering his phone the past week to keep the focus on winning a title. “A big thing for us — we’ve done a really good job of focusing on us.”

Gilgeous-Alexander said being “on the cusp of winning is not winning, and the way I see it, winning is all that matters.” He credited the organization for building the culture and environment to make the Thunder a marvel of a turnaround story.

He said he’s buoyed at this point in the season by the closeness of the locker room and how much fun the entire team is having.

“Focusing on Game 6,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “Focusing on just being the best version of myself for this basketball team for whatever it takes — however many games it is, however many possessions are needed, however many moments. Stay in the moment, and just try to stick to that script.”

Oklahoma City led 3-2 in the Western Conference semifinals and lost Game 6 to Denver before a dramatic effort to take Game 7. Williams said Oklahoma City didn’t “come out ready to play” in that Game 6.

Carlisle said the Pacers are leaning on the experience of trailing the Knicks 3-2 last summer, when Gainbridge Fieldhouse turned into an energy-feeding advantage for Game 6.

“Buckle down, stand strong,” Carlisle said of his message to the team.

But with SGA and Williams both averaging over 30 points per game the last three games, Oklahoma City expects nothing less than greatness on Thursday.

“Most of the great players are art. They’re unbelievably unique,” Daigneault said. “That’s every great player. Siakam is like that. Haliburton is like that. They’re one of one. All the great players are. … They’re great players, but they do it inside the team (concept) and don’t suffocate the team.”

Daigneault isn’t yet talking specifically about the spoils at stake Thursday night.

“We’ve tried to take a stack mindset to everything we’ve done. Even when the team was rebuilding. You can’t skip steps in the process,” Daigneault said. “We want to win the game tomorrow.

“But the most important thing we can do is prepare today, prepare tomorrow. Play the first possession really well. And then the next possession. Win today. The minute you start to drift mentally into the future and into the past, it impacts your ability to stack the next thing.”

–Field Level Media

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COLLEGE BASEBALL

LSU WALKS OFF ARKANSAS TO ADVANCE TO MCWS FINALS

Jared Jones played the hero twice and the scapegoat once in the final two innings Wednesday as the junior first baseman’s walk-off single propelled No. 6 LSU to a 6-5 win over No. 3 Arkansas and into the finals of the Men’s College World Series at Omaha, Neb.

A rematch between the top two seeded teams in Omaha produced a lot of late drama in what was a must-win game for the Razorbacks, who lost to LSU 4-1 in both teams’ opening game on Saturday.

The three-run bottom of the ninth for the Tigers (51-15) — after Arkansas (50-15) scored twice in the top of the frame — means LSU advanced to the series’ best-of-three final against No. 13 Coastal Carolina, which will start Saturday.

It looked as if the Razorbacks would force a winner-take-all game Thursday between the two schools after Justin Thomas Jr.’s two-run single in the top of the ninth gave the Hogs a 5-3 lead. Cole Gibler (3-2) started the bottom of the ninth getting a strikeout, but Derek Curiel reached on an infield single and Ethan Frey walked.

Gibler got Steven Milam to hit in what might have been a game-ending double play, but shortstop Wehiwa Aloy chose to force Curiel at third.

With two out, Luis Hernandez hit a rope to left. Razorbacks left fielder Charles Davalan charged the ball, but it appeared to hit off his head. That allowed the tying runs to score on what was ruled a double.

Aiden Jimenez then came on to pitch against Jones, who homered in the eighth to tie the game at 3. On a 2-1 count, he hit a line drive up the middle that glanced off the outstretched glove of second baseman Cam Kozeal to start the celebration for the Tigers.

Prior to that, Jones committed a fielding error on a possible double-play ball in the top of the eighth that allowed Arkansas to take a 3-2 lead.

Jacob Mayers (2-0) struck out two in the top of the ninth to keep it a two-run game.

With LSU advancing, the SEC has a chance to continue its recent dominance in Omaha. The last five national champions have come from the conference, and its schools have won it 10 times since 2009.

LSU, which seeks its eighth title, last won it in 2023.

–Field Level Media

CHANTICLEERS ERUPT IN 1ST, BEAT CARDINALS TO ADVANCE TO MCWS CHAMPIONSHIP

Colby Thorndyke went 3-for-4 and drove in five runs, including three in a decisive first inning, as Coastal Carolina continued to cruise with its 11-3 win over Louisville on Wednesday at the Men’s College World Series in Omaha, Neb.

Thorndyke’s bases-clearing double was part of a huge opening inning for the Chanticleers (3-0), capping a five-run explosion before Louisville could even record an out.

Cardinals starter Colton Hartman was pulled after seeing just five Coastal Carolina batters, all of whom reached base. Walker Mitchell struck first with a single that drove in Caden Bodine and Sebastian Alexander.

Louisville (2-2), which avoided elimination with wins over Arizona and Oregon State to play its way into Wednesday’s contest, went to the bullpen quickly. However, Jake Schweitzer came on and immediately gave up the three-run double to Thorndyke.

The Chanticleers built a 6-0 lead by the end of the inning and never looked back. Thorndyke recorded his fourth RBI when he was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded in the sixth inning, then singled in the eighth to drive in Blake Barthol.

Thorndyke’s contributions highlighted Coastal’s 26th straight win and sent Louisville home from Omaha.

Mitchell and Dean Mihos each drove in a pair of runs for the Chants. Riley Eikhoff earned the win, pitching 5 ? innings with four strikeouts and three earned runs — all of which came in the sixth inning.

Tague Davis, Garret Pike and Kamau Neighbors drove in Louisville’s runs, with Pike and Neighbors both singling on the heels of a Davis double.

Coastal Carolina, which won the 2016 MCWS, will face the winner of LSU and Arkansas in the best-of-three championship series that is scheduled to begin on Saturday.

–Field Level Media

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MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL NEWS

MLB ROUNDUP: RAYS ERASE 8-RUN DEFICIT, STUN ORIOLES

Junior Caminero drove in Yandy Diaz with a seventh-inning single to cap a four-hit performance and give the host Tampa Bay Rays their first lead as they overcame an eight-run deficit to claim a 12-8 victory over the Baltimore Orioles on Wednesday.

Tampa Bay’s Jonathan Aranda collected three hits and matched Brandon Lowe, Jake Mangum and Caminero with two RBIs. Diaz, Taylor Walls, Christopher Morel, and Josh Lowe each drove in a run for the Rays, who banged out 18 hits to erase the 8-0 lead Baltimore built in the second inning.

Baltimore’s Colton Cowser and Ramon Laureano each launched a three-run homer and Cedric Mullins also went deep. Gunnar Henderson added an RBI single for the Orioles, who did not record a hit after the second.

Mason Montgomery (1-1) threw one scoreless inning and picked up his first career win. Andrew Kittredge (1-1) took the loss after allowing four runs in the seventh.

Dodgers 4, Padres 3

Pinch hitter Will Smith belted a game-ending home run as host Los Angeles extended its winning streak to five games by beating San Diego.

Emmet Sheehan went four strong innings in his return from Tommy John surgery and Justin Wrobleski (2-2) followed with five innings as the Dodgers moved one win away from a four-game sweep.

Sheehan gave up one run on three hits in his first appearance since the 2023 playoffs. Wrobleski (2-2) yielded two ninth-inning runs (one earned) before Smith won it on a home run to right field against Robert Suarez (1-3).

Angels 3, Yankees 2

Mike Trout scored the tiebreaking run on an eighth-inning error by Anthony Volpe as visiting Los Angeles handed reeling New York another loss.

Nolan Schanuel and Jo Adell homered for the Angels, who have won the first three games of the four-game series and will pursue the first four-game road sweep of the Yankees on Thursday afternoon.

Jazz Chisholm Jr. homered in the second inning to snap New York’s 30-inning scoreless streak. Cody Bellinger went deep in the fourth for the Yankees, who have scored just six runs during a six-game losing streak — their longest skid since a nine-game run in 2023.

Red Sox 3, Mariners 1

Garrett Crochet pitched six strong innings and was backed by a pair of home runs as Boston defeated host Seattle to take two of three in the series.

Crochet (7-4) allowed one run on six hits and fanned eight with no walks to guide the Red Sox to their seventh win in eight games. Marcelo Mayer opened the scoring with a solo homer and Trevor Story cracked the difference-making two-run shot in the fourth.

Luis Castillo (4-5) gave up three runs on three hits during his six-inning stint. Randy Arozarena doubled in the second and scored on a Crochet wild pitch to account for the Mariners’ run.

Blue Jays 8, Diamondbacks 1

Eric Lauer struck out a season-best eight and Bo Bichette notched three hits, highlighted by a leadoff homer, as Toronto handled visiting Arizona.

Lauer (3-1) allowed one run and four hits in five-plus innings. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. had two hits, three walks and three RBIs while Addison Barger and Ernie Clement each contributed three hits.

Diamondbacks starter Eduardo Rodriguez (2-4) gave up two runs (one earned) on six hits over 4 2/3 innings. Corbin Carroll, who tripled and scored Arizona’s lone run in the sixth, left in the eighth after getting hit by a pitch in the left hand. X-rays proved negative.

Phillies 4, Marlins 2

Bryson Stott hit a three-run home run and Ranger Suarez tossed seven strong innings as visiting Philadelphia beat Miami. Suarez (6-1) allowed one run on four hits with two walks and eight strikeouts.

Alec Bohm had three hits and Stott added a single for the Phillies, who have won six of their past seven.

Connor Norby hit a solo homer and Eric Wagaman had two hits for the Marlins, who threatened to tie the game in the ninth. Heriberto Hernandez began the inning with a double and scored on Dane Myers’ one-out single, but Matt Strahm got the save.

Braves 5, Mets 0

Chris Sale pitched 8 2/3 strong innings and Atlanta blanked visiting New York.

Sale (5-4) fanned seven while allowing five hits and a walk. The Braves have taken the first two games of the three-game series and won five of their last six. The Mets have lost a season-worst five straight games.

The Atlanta offense was sparked by home runs from Ronald Acuna Jr. and Matt Olson. Ozzie Albies and Olson each had two hits.

Astros 11, Athletics 4

Jose Altuve and Victor Caratini each slammed a three-run homer during a seven-run seventh inning to help Houston maul the Athletics.

Mauricio Dubon also homered as the Astros racked up a season-high 20 hits while winning for the seventh time in eight games. Altuve, Caratini, Jake Meyers, Jeremy Pena and Cam Smith had three hits apiece.

Nick Kurtz homered among three hits and drove in two runs for the Athletics, who have lost back-to-back games following a season-high four-game winning streak.

Rockies 3, Nationals 1

Michael Toglia hit his third home run in two games, German Marquez pitched 5 2/3 scoreless innings and visiting Colorado sent Washington to its 11th consecutive loss.

Jordan Beck had two hits including a homer for the Rockies, who have won four straight for the first time this season. Seth Halvorsen pitched a hitless ninth inning for his fifth save.

Brady House had a second straight two-hit game for the Nationals, who went 1-for-10 with runners in scoring position. Mitchell Parker (4-8) took a tough-luck loss after permitting one run while fanning eight in six innings.

Royals 6, Rangers 3

Maikel Garcia had a three-run home run and a clutch RBI triple to help Kansas City defeat Texas for a second straight day in Arlington, Texas.

Royals starter Kris Bubic (6-4) allowed three runs while scattering nine hits and three runs in 5 1/3 innings. Carlos Estevez tossed a 1-2-3 ninth inning for his 20th save.

Sam Haggerty and Wyatt Langford had three hits each and Adolis Garcia added two for the Rangers. Patrick Corbin (4-6) was tagged for four runs on six hits in five innings.

Reds 4, Twins 2 (6 innings)

Spencer Steer belted a go-ahead two-run homer, doubled and scored twice to lead Cincinnati to a rain-shortened win over visiting Minnesota. The contest was stopped after a lengthy delay with two outs in the bottom of the sixth inning.

Cincinnati starter Nick Lodolo (5-5) surrendered a home run to Byron Buxton on his first pitch of the game following a 2-hour, 7-minute rain delay. Lodolo ended up allowing two runs on three hits in six innings.

Matt McLain and Will Benson each drove in a run for the Reds, who earned their fourth straight win and their ninth in 11 games. Twins right-hander Bailey Ober gave up four runs on nine hits in 5 2/3 innings.

Guardians 4, Giants 2

Daniel Schneemann hit a three-run home run, the Cleveland bullpen did a masterful job for a second straight game and the Guardians made it two straight at San Francisco.

Logan Allen (5-4) pitched 5 1/3 innings of two-run ball and Jose Ramirez hit a run-scoring single in the first for the Guardians. Emmanuel Clase tossed a scoreless ninth inning for his 16th save.

Patrick Bailey’s fifth-inning homer accounted for both of the Giants’ runs. Justin Verlander (0-4) came off the injured list following a one-month absence and yielded four runs, three earned, in 4 2/3 innings.

–Field Level Media

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NFL NEWS

FORMER DB RAMZEE ROBINSON SUES CHIEFS FOR WRONGFUL TERMINATION

Ramzee Robinson, a former NFL defensive back who then served as director of player engagement for the Kansas City Chiefs, filed a lawsuit against the franchise for wrongful termination. The suit accuses the Chiefs of discriminating against Robinson because he is Black.

A nine-year employee with Kansas City, Robinson filed the lawsuit in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Missouri earlier this week. He claims that, in a meeting in February, he was accused of attacking a female co-worker, though the Chiefs refused to show him security footage of the incident.

Kansas City ultimately fired Robinson, who added that the team paid him a salary of $125,000 while other franchises paid comparable positions an average salary of $171,932, not including other benefits. The suit claims that “the Chiefs paid African-American business employees less than their white counterparts.”

Robinson, 41, was the last player selected in the 2007 NFL draft out of Alabama. He played in 26 games across four seasons with the Detroit Lions, Philadelphia Eagles and Cleveland Browns, registering 37 tackles and a fumble recovery.

BROWNS ROOKIE QB SHEDEUR SANDERS CITED FOR DRIVING 101 MPH

Police cited Cleveland Browns rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders for driving 41 miles over the posted speed limit in the early hours Tuesday after the 23-year-old was clocked at 101 mph by the Strongsville Police Department in Ohio.

Police records indicated that Sanders was stopped at 12:24 a.m. local time for exceeding the 60 mph limit in his black Dodge TRX truck in Strongsville, located about 20 miles southwest of Cleveland.

As a result, he must either pay a $250 fine for the fourth-degree misdemeanor or dispute the ticket in court on July 3.

A projected first-round pick in April’s NFL draft after throwing for 4,134 yards (fourth in FBS) and 37 touchdowns (second) at Colorado, Sanders was selected by Cleveland in the fifth round after the Browns also drafted Oregon’s Dillon Gabriel in the third.

REPORTS: TEXANS TO SIGN FORMER FIRST-ROUND PICK DAMON ARNETTE

The Houston Texans are signing former first-round pick Damon Arnette Jr., who has not played in the NFL since legal problems derailed his career in 2022, multiple outlets reported Wednesday.

The defensive back worked out for the Texans on June 9 ahead of the team’s minicamp.

Arnette most recently played for the Houston Roughnecks of the UFL, racking up 18 tackles and an interception in the recently completed season.

Arnette, 28, was selected No. 19 overall by the Las Vegas Raiders in the 2020 draft. He played in 13 games (seven starts) before being hit with felony gun charges stemming from an incident at a Las Vegas casino in January 2022. Arnette was accused of brandishing a .45-caliber handgun during an argument with casino valets.

Arnette was sentenced to community service and fined $2,000 in August 2023 after agreeing to a plea deal.

The Raiders released Arnette in November 2021 amid two lawsuits and a troubling video posted by the player. The video showed Arnette repeatedly threatening to kill someone while brandishing what appeared to be semi-automatic weapons. The Kansas City Chiefs, who had signed Arnette to a reserve contract, released him after the arrest at the casino.

Injuries limited Arnette to 13 games (seven starts) in his one-plus seasons with the Raiders. He didn’t record any interceptions and had 29 tackles.

Arnette told Houston television station KPRC 2 earlier this spring that he initially was rejected by the UFL by Daryl Johnston, the executive vice president of football operations, because of his past.

Arnette said that led to a change, and Johnston reconsidered.

“One, I had to take a look in the mirror,” Arnette said. “I had to make some serious life changes. And the main thing that I did was I invited back my support system, my foundation, and that’s probably something I will never let go of again because I see how dangerous it is to be trying to navigate in a new world, new environment, new situations with no experience. So, I definitely learn from that end. I said to coach Johnston, I needed him to tell me no, that I couldn’t play.”

BRONCOS SIGN FORMER UFL CB MARIO GOODRICH

The Denver Broncos signed former UFL cornerback Mario Goodrich on Wednesday. Terms were not disclosed.

Goodrich, 25, played in four games for the Philadelphia Eagles in 2023 with one start and five tackles.

In seven games with the UFL’s Birmingham Stallions in 2025, he recorded 17 tackles and three forced fumbles.

The Broncos waived defensive back Tanner McCalister in a corresponding move.

McCalister, 25, appeared in three games with Denver in 2024 and three with the Cleveland Browns in 2023.

RAVENS SIGN CB JAIRE ALEXANDER TO 1-YEAR DEAL

The Baltimore Ravens added former Green Bay Packers cornerback Jaire Alexander to their roster.

Alexander signed his contract on Wednesday, but the Ravens didn’t share any details. According to ESPN, it’s a one-year deal with a base value of $4 million, plus $2 million in incentives.

Multiple outlets reported he turned down other opportunities for a chance to play with Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson, his teammate in college at Louisville.

The Packers released the two-time All-Pro cornerback on June 9 amid a contentious relationship between the two parties. The Packers were seeking to restructure his contract, frustrated over his lack of availability. Alexander, 28, appeared in just 14 games over the past two seasons combined.

He had skipped the team’s in-person, voluntary workouts this offseason but was expected to be at the mandatory minicamp but the Packers opted to let him go before the start.

Last season, he didn’t play after Week 11, contending he was injured, though he did participate in some practices. In 2023, shoulder and knee injuries — along with a one-game team suspension — that limited his availability.

The team attempted to trade him this offseason to no avail.

The Packers selected Alexander in the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft. Alexander was a second-team All-Pro and a Pro Bowl selection in both 2020 and 2022. Over seven seasons, he appeared in 78 games (76 starts) with Green Bay.

He has 12 career interceptions with a high of five in 2022. He also recorded three picks in seven playoff appearances.

GIANTS EXPECT WR MALIK NABERS (TOE) FOR TRAINING CAMP

New York Giants head coach Brian Daboll said Wednesday that he isn’t concerned about star wide receiver Malik Nabers’ availability for training camp.

Daboll said the team is aware of Nabers’ ailing toe, an injury that he has dealt with dating back to his college days at LSU. But, the coach said Nabers is “doing good” despite the second-year player sitting out both organized team activities and minicamp due to the injury.

“Every person’s at a different part in — we’ll call it rehab, if you will — rehab,” Daboll said. “We just did what we thought was best for Malik to try to get him as healthy as we can.”

Nabers, 21, set an NFL rookie-record with 109 catches last season, which also was a franchise mark with the Giants.

He totaled 1,204 yards and seven touchdowns in 15 games (13 games) en route to being named to the Pro Bowl.

The Giants selected Nabers with the sixth overall pick of the 2024 NFL Draft.

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GOLF NEWS

STACKED FIELD TACKLES TRAVELERS CHAMPIONSHIP AFTER TOUGH U.S. OPEN

Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy and new U.S. Open champion J.J. Spaun are among the main attractions as the Travelers Championship tees off Thursday in Cromwell, Conn., and the PGA Tour shifts from its hardest level of difficulty to perhaps its easiest.

Spaun was the only player to finish under par on Oakmont Country Club’s diabolical setup last week, securing his first major victory by two strokes.

TPC River Highlands won’t resemble Oakmont in the slightest. The winning scores at this $20 million signature event the past two years have been 22 and 23 under par.

“This is the perfect sort of chaser for what Oakmont was last week, and nice to get out on a golf course where you feel you can make quite a few birdies,” McIlroy said Wednesday.

The Northern Irishman, who missed the cut at the RBC Canadian Open two weeks ago, showed signs of improvement by finishing tied for 19th at the U.S. Open thanks to a final-round 67. Scheffler carded consecutive rounds of even-par 70 on the weekend and grabbed a T7 finish.

The two best players in the world had their share of struggles at Oakmont, opening the door for Spaun to become a first-time major champion, the sport’s first since 2023. He had two rounds in the 60s and broke out of a five-way tie late on Sunday by birdieing his last two holes, including an amazing 64-foot putt at No. 18.

“Yeah, it’s been a whirlwind,” said Spaun, who rose to a career-best No. 8 in the world rankings and No. 3 in the U.S. Ryder Cup standings. “… The aftermath of this whole championship has been so crazy but so much fun, and all these doors opening, it’s stuff that you don’t expect ever really to happen in your career.”

Though not a household name, Spaun didn’t come out of nowhere last week. He had four other top-10 finishes in 2025, including a playoff loss to McIlroy at The Players Championship.

The last time Spaun played the Travelers, in 2023, was memorable in its own way. His daughter Violet was born on Monday of that week, and his wife was held in the hospital until Tuesday.

“It was our second born, and … she was very nice enough to tell me if I want to go play, I’ll go play,” Spaun quipped. “So I flew out here Wednesday night.”

U.S. Ryder Cup captain Keegan Bradley won the tournament that year with a record 23-under-par 257. In 2024, Scheffler beat South Korea’s Tom Kim in a playoff for the title.

Scheffler ruminated on the narrative that the par-70, 6,844-yard TPC River Highlands was too easy, especially for a signature event field of 72 elite players.

“Golf’s funny in that sense. … You watch the NBA, and you’re like, ‘I wish they couldn’t dunk. I wish they were scoring less. I wish their shooting percentage was lower on 3-pointers,’” Scheffler said. “If you watch tennis, you’re like, ‘Man, I wish the ball was going slower so they look like me out there playing tennis.’ It’s not like that.

“I think sometimes, especially in this day and age, people get way too caught up in the winning score being what is a proper test. I think a proper test is good shots being rewarded and bad shots being punished. I think this is one of the best golf courses for that.”

Notable players in the field include the entire top 10 in the Official World Golf Ranking, including Xander Schauffele, Collin Morikawa and Justin Thomas; U.S. Open runner-up Robert MacIntyre of Scotland; and sponsor exemption Rickie Fowler.

U.S. OPEN CHAMP J.J. SPAUN CARRIES MOMENTUM TO CONNECTICUT

J.J. Spaun’s news conference Wednesday ahead of the Travelers Championship might have been the longest he has sat still since winning the U.S. Open on Sunday.

“It’s been pretty hectic but also very fun,” said Spaun, whose dramatic birdie-birdie finish at Oakmont Country Club gave him a two-stroke win over Scotland’s Robert MacIntyre and his first major championship.

“It’s been nice to be given the opportunity to express my feelings, my emotions. A lot of people want to hear from me. I was really grateful to have the opportunity to tell everyone about it,” he said. “So I enjoyed it. It was a fun time.”

Spaun celebrated with a stopover Monday night in New York City, where he had dinner with his family, but said he didn’t get to catch up on his sleep until Tuesday night.

He received congratulations from several celebrities, including actor and comedian George Lopez and Los Angeles Dodgers star Mookie Betts, and from golfing greats Curtis Strange and Hale Irwin.

Spaun, 34, said he was looking forward to carrying his momentum into the PGA Tour season’s final signature event, which starts on Thursday in Cromwell, Conn.

“Super excited,” he said. “I didn’t get to play here last year. I love the area. I love the course. Such a great course that they have here at TPC River Highlands. Looks like we’re going to have some pretty good weather too, so that’s nice. Just excited to get the week going.”

Spaun, who missed the cut the last two times he was at the Travelers in 2022 and 2023, said he’s still getting used to the idea of being a major champion.

“I still haven’t really been able to enjoy it and not have any responsibilities,” he said. “It would be nice to just sit on my couch at home and have the trophy sitting right next to me and watch some ‘SportsCenter’ or something, but that’s kind of how I like to enjoy things, just kind of vegging out, especially after long weeks on the road and big tournaments.”

Spaun said he wants to savor his breakthrough win without becoming complacent.

“I definitely need to keep the hunger there. I think I will have the hunger just because I want to continue to prove myself, but not prove myself to anybody other than myself, I feel like, and that’s kind of been my biggest barrier throughout my entire career is just trying not to be so hard on myself and not ruining any sort of confidence that I’ve built from all these experiences on my journey as a golfer,” he said.

“As long as I keep that up, I think I’ll continue to play well, and obviously winning the U.S. Open is going to be a huge boost to that sort of inner ego, I guess you could say, to keep that self-belief alive and burning.”

RORY MCILROY HOPES TRAVELERS IS ‘PERFECT SORT OF CHASER’ TO U.S. OPEN

Rory McIlroy will look to atone after a less-than-ideal weekend at the U.S. Open when he tees off Thursday at the Travelers Championship in Cromwell, Conn.

Sure, McIlroy closed strong with six birdies in Sunday’s final round to finish in a tie for 19th place at the U.S. Open.

While that was enough to book an automatic spot on Europe’s Ryder Cup team for this year’s competition at Bethpage Black in Farmingdale, N.Y., it didn’t leave a good taste in his mouth.

After all, the golfer ranked No. 2 in the world had loftier expectations as he attempted to ride the momentum of wins this year at The Players Championship, Pebble Beach and The Masters.

With that said, McIlroy’s frustrations were evident — he smashed a tee marker to pieces, after all. The 36-year-old also refused to speak to the media during the first two days of competition before quipping on Saturday that “it’s more a frustration with you guys,” while later adding, “I feel like I’ve earned the right to do whatever I want to do.”

McIlroy took a different tone on Wednesday.

“I think the weeks after major championships in these events sometimes when you’re in contention and you’re trying to win them, it can feel quite difficult to go play the next week,” he said. “After a week like I had at Oakmont last week, where you’re not quite in the mix but you might feel you find something in your game, you’re excited to come back and play again.

“Yeah, looking forward to the week. This is the perfect sort of chaser for what Oakmont was last week, and nice to get out on a golf course where you feel you can make quite a few birdies.”

The TPC River Highlands is a friendly course filled with opportunities for birdies and low scores, much to the pleasure of McIlroy.

“I think it is welcome, especially after — look, the guys that played Memorial, that was a grind,” he said. “Look, there’s a lot of guys in the field this week where this is their fourth tournament in a row, so yeah, they’ve been put through the wringer the last few weeks, and this is a welcome setup where they feel like they can relax a little bit and not have to grind so much for your score.”

The Travelers Championship, the final signature event of the season, is McIlroy’s last PGA Tour event before he returns to Europe ahead of a big July.

McIlroy will be in the spotlight all week in his native Northern Ireland when the Open Championship is played at Royal Portrush.

100 DAYS FROM RYDER CUP, KEEGAN BRADLEY SAVORING JOURNEY

U.S. captain Keegan Bradley said Wednesday that the only time he isn’t thinking about September’s Ryder Cup is when he is “inside the ropes Thursday through Sunday.”

With the start of the Ryder Cup now just 100 days away, Bradley fielded questions about the experience as he got ready to tee off in the Travelers Championship starting Thursday in Cromwell, Conn.

“For the most part, I’m thinking only about the Ryder Cup,” the first-time captain said. “I’m looking at the points list. I’m looking at potential pairings. I’m talking to the scouts. I’m talking to the vice captains. We’re talking about strategy, bus ride schedules, media schedules.”

The 45th Ryder Cup competition against the defending champions from Team Europe runs from Sept. 26-28 at Bethpage Black on Long Island, N.Y.

Bradley, 39, was serenaded with chants of “USA” from the fans on Sunday when he made his final putt of the U.S. Open, where he finished T33 at Oakmont Country Club.

“Everywhere I go, I’m getting USA chants, people are cheering me on,” he said. “… It’s been something that I hadn’t really expected, to be honest. It’s taken me by surprise, and it’s just a treat to go out there and play every day as the Ryder Cup captain.”

Bradley is still finalizing the roster, but it sure sounded like J.J. Spaun locked up a spot with his first major win on Sunday.

“I think going to a course like Bethpage Black, the people are really going to be behind a guy like J.J. Spaun. His story is incredible. He’s a hard working guy that’s just building and building and building his whole career. To win the U.S. Open at Oakmont, in my eyes, is the pinnacle of major golf. It’s as tough as you can get,” Bradley said.

“I think he’s a guy that people at Bethpage will really resonate with and a guy that on our team is the heartbeat. He’s now the U.S. Open champion. That’s a heavy burden to bear, but he’s also — that’s also a great thing to have on your team.

“I’m really proud to have him on this team because it’s really difficult to make your first team. To go out there the way he did this year and play in these big events this well is a testament to what a player he is.”

Bradley, who won the Travelers in 2023 and finished T39 last year, said the burden of his Ryder Cup responsibilities will temporarily disappear as he tackles the TPC River Highlands course this week for the PGA Tour season’s final signature event.

“I really have enjoyed every second of this,” he said. “There’s been no … it hasn’t affected me personally on the golf course, I don’t think, but I really have enjoyed this so much.”

AMY YANG LOOKS TO REPEAT AT WOMEN’S PGA IN WIDE-OPEN FIELD

The LPGA has a new commissioner on the way, a new course to play and no shortage of parity as it marks the halfway point of the season at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, which begins Thursday in Frisco, Texas.

It’s an important time on the women’s golf calendar for more reasons than one. Three of the next five events are major championships, and no one is running away with the season-long points competition, the Race to the CME Globe.

Through 15 tournaments in 2025, 15 different players have claimed a title, none of them named Nelly Korda. The first two majors were won by first-timers with scant previous experience in the United States — Japan’s Mao Saigo at the Chevron Championship, followed by Sweden’s Maja Stark at the U.S. Women’s Open.

Korda is World No. 1 and entered the week as the slight betting favorite to win what would be her third major. However, she revealed that she suffered a neck spasm on Monday from hitting a practice shot out of the rough. It was concerning, given she missed time last fall with a neck injury.

“But I have a great physio who takes care of me,” Korda went on to say. “Trying to work through it, but I’ll be ready by Thursday.”

For Korda, it was far from a friendly welcome to PGA Frisco, the new resort that also serves as the PGA of America’s headquarters. The Fields Ranch East course will host the Women’s PGA again in 2031 as well as the men’s PGA Championship in 2027 and 2034.

This week, the course will be a par-72, 6,604-yard setup and serve as a test run for holding major championship golf in the Texas summer heat.

“To my knowledge, I think Gil Hanse and the team, they designed this course to host championships,” Lydia Ko of New Zealand said. “It’s designed with a purpose, and obviously the more frequently you go to these kind of sites, you kind of get more familiar with it.”

Ko played a practice round alongside Craig Kessler, who will take over as commissioner of the LPGA next month. Kessler was previously COO of the PGA of America and will be tasked with increasing the LPGA’s visibility and financial solvency.

“I’m sure he’s busy with still wrapping things up with the PGA of America and transitioning into our role as well, but it’s exciting,” Ko said. “I think it’s a great time for golf. It’s great to have somebody like him that’s enthusiastic and really wants to see where — like how far we can go.”

Korean veteran Amy Yang is the defending champion following a three-stroke victory in 2024.

“I came very close to many major championships and never won before, so on Saturday night I was very nervous and I was questioning myself, ‘Can I do it this time?’” Yang recalled. “But I distracted myself calling my friends and family and just told myself, ‘You know, go out tomorrow and just every hole, every shot, just embrace everything and see what’s going to happen.’

“That experience taught me that I can do it. I can still do it.”

The entire top 25 in the Rolex Rankings are in the field. World No. 2 Jeeno Thitikul of Thailand has one victory this season, but the promising 22-year-old has yet to win a major.

“Every major I just want to make the cut, to be honest,” Thitikul said. “It would be really great to win it, and definitely I can tell that it would be like, everyone dreams to win a major. To me, what I have now under my belt, I’m pretty happy with all I’ve achieved.”

$12M PURSE UPS ANTE AT WOMEN’S PGA CHAMPIONSHIP

The Women’s PGA Championship raised the purse of the major tournament to $12 million, matching last month’s U.S. Women’s Open for the biggest purse of the season.

To boot, the winner of the 156-player field at Fields Ranch East at PGA Frisco in Texas this week will pocket $1.8 million.

The purse was $10.4 million at last year’s Women’s PGA Championship.

“We’re incredibly proud to be able to do that,” said Paul Knopp, the KPMG chair and CEO, of the boost in the purse, per Golf Digest. “It’s all part of creating a standard of excellence in women’s golf. The purse is a hugely important part of that.

“… We look at it as the ultimate strategy when we think about the excellence we’re trying to bear to bring success. We continue to play this tournament on iconic courses that are recognized by the golf community every year. … We’re excited about where we’re going.”

Amy Yang of South Korea held off the field at the Women’s PGA Championship for her first career major title last year at Sahalee Country Club in Sammamish, Wash.

Yang carded a 7-under 281 for the tournament to defeat Lilia Vu, Jin Young Ko of South Korea and Miyu Yamashita of Japan by three shots.

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NASCAR NEWS

REPORT: NASCAR DEEP IN TALKS TO BRING STREET RACE TO SAN DIEGO

NASCAR and officials in the San Diego area are working toward an agreement to return the Cup Series to Southern California, The Athletic reported Wednesday.

According to the report, the two sides are finalizing details on a street-course race to be held in the area. An announcement is tentatively expected in July.

Both NASCAR and Sports San Diego, the area’s sports tourism arm, declined to make a statement to The Athletic.

NASCAR has not held a non-exhibition race in Southern California since 2023 when the speedway in Fontana closed.

A street race in San Diego could offer a chance to drive with the Pacific Ocean in the backdrop, although The Athletic reported an exact location for the race has not been finalized.

NASCAR already has gotten off the oval, with a street race held in downtown Chicago since 2023. The Grant Park 165, as it is called on the 2025 schedule, will be run in Chicago on July 6.

CARSON HOCEVAR FINED $50K FOR DEROGATORY COMMENTS ABOUT MEXICO CITY

Driver Carson Hocevar has been fined $50,000 by his race team, Spire Motorsports, and will be required to undergo sensitivity training after he made derogatory comments about Mexico City.

NASCAR’s first Cup Series points race outside the United States since 1958 apparently didn’t sit well with Hocevar, who took issue with Mexico’s capital city during a livestream on Friday night.

Hocevar, 22, labeled it a “s—hole” while also raising concerns about safety in the city.

He issued an apology over social media following his 34th-place finish (out of 37 drivers) in Sunday night’s race.

“Maybe a kid that had never been out of the country until Thursday should ever give an opinion about what any place is like other than Portage, Michigan,” Hocevar wrote on X, referring to his hometown.

“When I answered that question on a stream, I was skeptical about the trip so far and believed everything I read or heard about Mexico City from people who more than likely also had never been here. Now that I’ve actually left my hotel a couple times and raced here in front of some of the most passionate fans I’ve ever seen, my opinion has changed. I am embarrassed by my comments, by the race I ran.”

“… Count this as another lesson for me in a season I’ve learned so much. Don’t believe everything you hear without seeing it yourself. If anyone should give anyone or any place the benefit of the doubt it’s me. I’m sorry Mexico City. Consider me an ally going forward and an example of getting off Twitch and seeing things with my own two eyes.”

Spire Motorsports was swift with its response, issuing mandatory cultural sensitivity and bias awareness training for Hocevar. Spire also said the $50,000 fine will be distributed among the Mexican Red Cross, the United Way Mexico and Un Kilo de Ayuda, a nonprofit that helps childhood nutrition and development in rural communities across the country.

“These actions are consistent with Spire Motorsports’ core value of respect, which is something we proudly display on every race car, team uniform, trackside hauler, and digital channel,” the team’s statement said. “Respect is not a slogan. It is a daily expectation that we ‘walk the walk’ in how we speak, compete and serve the communities that welcome our sport.

“Carson Hocevar’s recent comments during the livestream fell short of that standard. They did not represent the views of Spire Motorsports, our partners, or NASCAR. He has acknowledged his mistake publicly, and his prompt, sincere apology demonstrated personal accountability. We now take this additional step to underscore that words carry weight, and respect must be lived out loud.”

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TOP INDIANA NEWS HEADLINES/RELEASES

INDIANA HIGH SCHOOL BOYS SOCCER

FIGHTING IRISH STAR CAL KURZAWA NAMED GATORADE INDIANA BOYS SOCCER PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Cathedral Senior Cal Kurzawa has been named the Gatorade Indiana Boys Soccer Player of the Year for the 2024-2025 season. The Wisconsin signee led Cathedral High School to a record of 14 wins, 4 losses, and 2 ties, finishing as the sectional runner-up last season. Kurzawa was instrumental in his team’s success, contributing to nearly 70% of their goals with 28 goals and 12 assists. He recorded eight multi-goal games and concluded his career as one of the school’s all-time leading scorers, amassing a total of 76 career goals and 46 assists over four years, which included a state runner-up finish in 2023. The Gatorade Player of the Year program recognizes a winner in each of the 50 states and the District of Columbia across 12 different high school sports, along with one National Player of the Year for each sport.

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INDIANA GIRLS HIGH SCHOOL SOCCER

NOBLESVILLE’S MEREDITH TIPPNER NAMED AS GATORADE INDIANA GIRLS SOCCER PLAYER OF THE YEAR FOR SECOND CONSECUTIVE YEAR

Noblesville’s Meredith Tippner added another accolade to her high school resume this week by being named the Gatorade Indiana Girls Soccer Player of the Year for the second consecutive season. The senior forward led the Millers to an impressive 19-0-2 record and secured a third consecutive Class 3A state championship last fall, scoring 24 goals and providing 16 assists. Notably, 12 of her goals were game-winners, and she assisted on all three goals in the state final against Center Grove. Tippner boasts an impressive record of 24-1 in state tournament games, with four sectional titles and three state championships to her name. Gatorade Player of the Year honors the nation’s top high school athletes for their achievements on the field, in the classroom, and within the community, recognizing Tippner as the best high school girls soccer player in Indiana.

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INDIANA PACERS

HALIBURTON’S STATUS IS A GREAT UNKNOWN FOR PACERS GOING INTO GAME 6 OF NBA FINALS

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Tyrese Haliburton would not be playing on Thursday if this were a regular season game. He probably would be sidelined for a week or two if this was December or January.

But this is June. It’s the NBA Finals. The Indiana Pacers’ season is on the line. That’s why — even with a strained right calf — Haliburton is trying to find any way possible to play in the win-or-else Game 6 that awaits against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Thursday night.

Will the Pacers’ star guard and Olympic gold medalist play or not? That’s the big question going into Game 6, and there probably won’t be an answer until a few hours before the 8:40 p.m. Eastern tip-off time on Thursday night.

“I think I have to be as smart as I want to be,” Haliburton said Wednesday. “Have to understand the risks, ask the right questions. I’m a competitor. I want to play. I’m going to do everything in my power to play. That’s just what it is.”

The good news for the Pacers: Haliburton did everything the team did in practice on Wednesday. The bad news: That only involved sitting through 25 minutes of film, a 30-minute walkthrough and then some light shooting while basically flat-footed the whole time.

“He’ll go through the day tomorrow,” Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said Wednesday. “Our prep session is tomorrow late afternoon. They’ll get together and do some testing. That will determine whether he plays or not. If he doesn’t play, we have a plan, obviously, if we’re without him.”

Haliburton is trying every treatment he can think of right now in order to help his strained right calf, a diagnosis that was confirmed by an MRI exam on Tuesday. Hyperbaric chambers, needles, massage, electronic stimulation, special tape.

Whatever it takes.

“We got soldiers on this team,” Pacers forward Obi Toppin said. “We’re going to try to play through any type of injuries or anything. Ty is a soldier. He’s most likely going to be good. We don’t know yet.”

Haliburton was dealing with an ankle injury earlier in the series and now has the calf matter to deal with as well; it’s not clear if the two are related, and really, it doesn’t matter at this point.

The calf issue presented itself during Monday’s Game 5 loss in Oklahoma City. Haliburton played through it for most of his 34 minutes, but failed to make a field goal in the game and Indiana lost to Oklahoma City 120-109 — falling behind 3-2 in the title series.

Now facing a win-or-else scenario, there is a chance Haliburton does not play in Game 6 on Thursday.

If Haliburton cannot play, it would seem likely that the Pacers would promote guard TJ McConnell to a starting role. McConnell has been brilliant throughout these playoffs and was a big spark in Game 5 when Indiana closed an 18-point deficit to a two-point difference in the second half before Oklahoma City pulled away again and for good.

“He is another ball handler, someone that can get us to our spots, push the pace,” Pacers forward Pascal Siakam said of McConnell. “He played great last game. He is going to be huge for us going forward, too.”

Haliburton left Game 5 late in the first quarter and returned to the bench area with a wrap on his lower leg. He not only returned to the game, he played 34 minutes — but did so while missing all six of his shots and with him barely looking to shoot at all in the second half. He finished the game with seven rebounds and six assists, but only four points.

It was the first time in Haliburton’s career that he logged at least 34 minutes and failed to make a single field goal.

The Pacers, Carlisle said, discussed not letting Haliburton play in the second half. Haliburton vetoed those plans and played 17 minutes in the second half, leading the Pacers in rebounds and assists after intermission.

Haliburton was part of the team that won Olympic gold in Paris for USA Basketball last year, but he was slowed by injuries then as well — and missed the final games of Indiana’s run against Boston in the Eastern Conference finals a year ago because of a hamstring issue.

“I have a lot of trust in our medical staff. I have a lot of trust in our organization to make the right decision,” Haliburton said. “I think there’s been many situations through the course of my career where they’ve trusted me on my body. … I want to be out there. That’s the plan.”

THUNDER TRY TO SECURE NBA FINALS VICTORY OVER THE PACERS

Oklahoma City Thunder (68-14, first in the Western Conference) vs. Indiana Pacers (50-32, fourth in the Eastern Conference)

Indianapolis; Thursday, 8:30 p.m. EDT

BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Thunder -6.5; over/under is 222.5

NBA FINALS: Thunder lead series 3-2

BOTTOM LINE: The Oklahoma City Thunder look to clinch the series over the Indiana Pacers in game six of the NBA Finals. The Thunder defeated the Pacers 120-109 in the last meeting on Tuesday. Jalen Williams led the Thunder with 40 points, and Pascal Siakam led the Pacers with 28.

The Pacers have gone 29-12 in home games. Indiana averages 117.4 points while outscoring opponents by 2.3 points per game.

The Thunder have gone 32-8 away from home. Oklahoma City ranks fourth in the Western Conference shooting 37.4% from 3-point range.

The 117.4 points per game the Pacers score are 9.8 more points than the Thunder allow (107.6). The Thunder score 5.4 more points per game (120.5) than the Pacers give up (115.1).

TOP PERFORMERS: Tyrese Haliburton is scoring 18.6 points per game with 3.5 rebounds and 9.2 assists for the Pacers. Siakam is averaging 23.5 points and 6.2 rebounds while shooting 50.9% over the past 10 games.

Williams is averaging 21.6 points, 5.3 rebounds, 5.1 assists and 1.6 steals for the Thunder. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is averaging 31.9 points and 4.9 rebounds while shooting 46.6% over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Pacers: 5-5, averaging 111.0 points, 38.9 rebounds, 24.5 assists, 8.9 steals and 5.8 blocks per game while shooting 47.6% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 112.6 points per game.

Thunder: 7-3, averaging 115.6 points, 41.3 rebounds, 21.3 assists, 11.2 steals and 5.1 blocks per game while shooting 46.8% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 110.1 points.

INJURIES: Pacers: Isaiah Jackson: out for season (calf), Jarace Walker: day to day (ankle), Tyrese Haliburton: day to day (calf).

Thunder: Nikola Topic: out for season (acl).

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INDIANA FEVER

MARINA MABREY, SOPHIE CUNNINGHAM FINED BUT NOT SUSPENDED

The WNBA has taken further action following Tuesday night’s game between the Fever and the Sun, which featured two altercations and resulted in three ejections. Marina Mabrey’s technical foul, which stemmed from her shoving Fever guard Caitlin Clark to the ground during a confrontation, has been upgraded to a flagrant 2 foul, as confirmed by the league to IndyStar. The first altercation occurred in the third quarter when Sun guard Jacy Sheldon accidentally poked Clark in the eye. Clark recoiled and reacted by turning back to Sheldon, leading to a shoving match between the two. Sun center Tina Charles intervened, and during this chaos, Mabrey entered the fray, puffing out her chest and knocking Clark to the ground. Officials, security personnel, and the coaching staffs quickly separated the two teams. After a lengthy review, officials upgraded Sheldon’s common foul to a flagrant 1 foul and issued technical fouls to Clark, Charles, and Mabrey. Many fans, broadcasters, and media members were left confused as to why Mabrey was not ejected for her actions.

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INDIANA SOFTBALL

MEGAN GREGORY SIGNS WITH INDIANA SOFTBALL

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. ––– Indiana Softball head coach Shonda Stanton has announced the signing of transfer Megan Gregory to the program.

Gregory, an Adairsville, Ga. native will come to Indiana after spending two seasons at Campbell. She will have two years of eligibility with the Hoosiers.

Gregory is a pitcher and served as Campbell’s ace in 2025. She had a 1.78 ERA and an 11-5 record with 16 starts in 26 appearances in the circle.

In 117.2 innings pitched, she threw 107 strikeouts. She also held opposing hitters to a .211 batting average.

At Campbell, she helped the Fighting Camels win 37 games in back-to-back seasons, reaching the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) Championship game in 2024 and 2025.

She was recognized as an All-CAA First Team honoree in 2025.

Before Campbell, she was a standout at Adairsville High School under Amanda Nelson. She boasted a .356 batting average and a 2.82 ERA. She earned All-Region Second Team in 2022 and All-Region Honorable Mention in 2019 and 2020.

She played travel ball for the EC Bullets Bilz under coach Jessica Bilz. In travel play, she had a .311 batting average and a 2.38 ERA.

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PURDUE MEN’S BASKETBALL

FORMER PURDUE BASKETBALL STAR ZACH EDEY CHARGED WITH RECKLESS DRIVING BACK IN INDIANA

LAFAYETTE — Police apprehended former Purdue basketball star Zach Edey on May 1 for driving 101 mph in a 55 mph zone on Indiana State Road 25 in southern Tippecanoe County. According to a probable cause affidavit, Edey’s northbound Kia Sorento passed the Indiana State Police trooper’s southbound vehicle at 7:03 p.m. When the trooper caught up to Edey’s speeding car, he turned east onto Tippecanoe County Road 700 South and stopped. Edey, 23, of Memphis, has an initial hearing scheduled for 10:30 a.m. on Monday in Tippecanoe Superior Court 6, where he will face a misdemeanor charge of reckless driving. Edey told police that he was speeding in an attempt to pass another vehicle.

PURDUE TO COMPETE IN 2025 BAHA MAR CHAMPIONSHIP IN NOVEMBER

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – bdG Sports has announced that the Purdue men’s basketball team will compete in the 2025 Baha Mar Championship to be played at the Baha Mar Resort in Nassau, Bahamas, on Nov. 20 and 21.

Purdue will be matched up with Memphis in the first game on Thursday, Nov. 20, beginning at 6 p.m. ET on the CBS Sports Network. It will be the first meeting with the Tigers since Matt Painter’s first season at Purdue in 2005-06.

The Boilermakers will the face either Texas Tech or Wake Forest on Friday, Nov. 21, beginning at either 7 p.m. (consolation) or 9:30 p.m. ET (championship game).

This marks the fifth edition of the event with previous champions including Louisville, UCF, Miami (Fla.) and Tennessee.

Purdue will be looking for its fifth straight “Feast Week” tournament title after winning the Hall of Fame Tipoff Classic (2021), the Phil Knight Legacy (2022), the Maui Invitationals (2023) and the Rady Children’s Invitational (2024). Purdue has won 10 straight MTE tournament games, including eight wins over nationally-ranked teams in the span.

Texas Tech (3 seed) and Memphis (5 seed) both reached the NCAA Tournament a year ago, while Wake Forest finished with a 21-11 mark, including a 13-7 ACC record.

Purdue figures to be ranked in the top five of all the preseason polls after posting a 24-12 record and reaching the Sweet 16 a year ago. The Boilermakers return four starters including first-team All-Big Ten selections Braden Smith and Trey Kaufman-Renn, three-year starter Fletcher Loyer, sophomore standouts C.J. Cox, Gicarri Harris, Daniel Jacobsen and Raleigh Burgess, while welcoming in newcomers Omer Mayer, Antione West Jr., Oscar Cluff, Liam Murphy and Jack Benter.

Texas Tech also figures to be in the top 10 nationally when the preseason polls come out. The Red Raiders reached the Elite Eight a year ago with a 28-9 record and a 15-5 finish in the Big 12 Conference. The Red Raiders welcome back All-American forward J.T. Toppin as well as a host of other standouts.

Memphis welcomes several high-profile transfers after winning the winning both the American Athletic Conference regular-season and tournament championships, while Wake Forest also welcomes several highly-ranked transfers.

The announcement puts a cap on Purdue’s non-conference slate. Purdue will once again boast one of the toughest schedules in the country with guaranteed matchups against Alabama (away), Marquette (home), Iowa State (home) and Auburn (neutral) with an exhibition game at Kentucky and possible games with Texas Tech, Memphis and Wake Forest.

Alabama, Iowa State, Auburn, Texas Tech and Kentucky are all ranked in the way-too-early top-25 polls.

John Purdue Club members interested in supporting the Boilermakers on the road can reserve a spot through exclusive travel packages for the 2025 Baha Mar Championship. Packages include accommodations at the Grand Hyatt Baha Mar, game tickets, access to official events, and more. To learn more, call 765.494.2582.

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BUTLER MEN’S BASKETBALL

BUTLER AND BOISE STATE AGREE TO HOME-AND-HOME SERIES

Butler and Boise State have agreed to a home-and-home series that will begin at Hinkle Fieldhouse Saturday, Dec. 6.

The teams will then meet in Boise during the 2026-27 season.

The tip time and television assignment for this season’s contest will be announced at a later date.

Butler and Boise State have met twice previously, splitting match-ups over the past two seasons. Butler’s win came in the 2023 ESPN Events Invitational in Orlando and the Broncos picked up a win in the quarterfinals of the inaugural College Basketball Crown in Las Vegas earlier this year.

Boise State has averaged 24.8 wins per season over the last four years, earning NCAA Tournament berths three times during that four-year stretch. The Broncos are members of the Mountain West Conference.

Butler’s 2025-26 non-conference schedule continues to come together. The Bulldogs will play in the Greenbrier Tip-Off (Nov. 21 vs. South Carolina and Nov. 23 vs. Virginia) and the Indy Classic (Dec. 20 vs. Northwestern at Gainbridge Fieldhouse). Butler will travel to SMU for a Nov. 15 tip in Dallas that concludes a home-and-home series that began at Hinkle Fieldhouse last season.

The Hinkle Fieldhouse portion of the non-conference schedule includes dates against Southern Indiana (Nov. 5), IU Indy (Nov. 8), Chicago State (Nov. 11), and Eastern Michigan (Dec. 2), in addition to exhibitions against Notre Dame (Oct. 17) and Indiana State (Oct. 29).

Additional games on Butler’s non-conference schedule will be announced soon.

Butler enters the 2025-26 season off an appearance in the inaugural College Basketball Crown. Coach Thad Matta’s Bulldogs have added five impact transfers in Michael Ajayi (Gonzaga), Yame Butler (Drexel), Jalen Jackson (Purdue Fort Wayne), Drayton Jones (South Carolina State), and Yohan Traore (SMU). That group joins returners Finley Bizjack, who averaged 10.3 points per game for the Bulldogs last season; Jamie Kaiser Jr., who missed the entire 2024-25 season with an ankle injury; and Evan Haywood, who started both College Basketball Crown games. Butler also welcomes a Top 25 recruiting class.

Season tickets for the upcoming 2025-26 basketball season are on sale now. The Bulldogs will once again host all 10 BIG EAST rivals at Hinkle Fieldhouse. Fans can email tickets@butler.edu or call the ticket office at 317-940-3647 for more information on securing season tickets.

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IU INDY MEN’S BASKETBALL

MEN’S BASKETBALL INKS TWO MORE SIGNEES FOR 2025-2026 SEASON

INDIANAPOLIS – The IU Indianapolis men’s basketball program and head coach Ben Howlett have announced the signings of two more transfers for the upcoming season, bringing the roster to 12 players. Howlett inked 6-foot-4 guard Matt Compas from NAIA Dalton State in Dalton, Ga., and 6-foot-8 forward Aiden Miller from Division II Point Park in Pittsburgh. 

Compas was an NAIA Third Team All-American this past season while Miller is coming off an impressive campaign in which he averaged nearly a double-double as a true freshman. Compas comes in with one season of eligibility remaining after averaging 18.5 points and 5.0 rebounds per game last year while helping Dalton State to a 24-7 record. Miller averaged 9.8 points and 9.0 rebounds per game with eight double-doubles last season, making 21 starts for Point Park.

“Definitely excited about adding Matt and Aiden to the program. I’m familiar with both of these guys and I think they’re prepared to excel in our system,” Howlett said. “They’re going to bring toughness and athleticism to the program and know they’re going to have to fight and compete for minutes. I’m excited to see how they both come in and impact the program right away.”

Below is a rundown of the most recent additions.

Matt Compas / 6-foot-4 / Guard / Blue Bell, Pa. / Dalton State (Ga.)

-Third Team NAIA All-American and First Team All-Southern States Athletic Conference (SSAC) honoree

-Averaged 18.5 points, 5.0 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game while shooting 61.4 percent from the floor and 73.4 percent from the foul line

-Scored in double-digits in 29 of 31 games, including 16 games with 20-or-more

-Also earned First Team SSAC honors as a junior when he averaged 13.9 points and 4.3 rebounds per game

-Began his collegiate career at Montgomery County Community College where he was a two-time EPAC First Team All-Region performer

Aiden Miller / 6-foot-8 / Forward / Austin, Texas / Point Park (Pa.)

-Averaged 9.8 points and 9.0 rebounds per game last season, ranking second on the team in rebounding, threes made (44), assists (48) and steals (22)

-Scored in double-digits 14 times with eight double-doubles

-Just missed a triple-double with 13 points, 15 rebounds and nine assists against Penn State-New Kensington on Nov. 16

-Averaged 27.3 points and 12.8 rebounds per game while prepping at Prestige Worldwide (Fla.) Sports Academy in Fort Lauderdale

-Played AAU with Team Charlotte

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BALL STATE WOMEN’S TENNIS

WOMEN’S TENNIS SIGNS PRIYANKA RANA TO 2025-26 ROSTER

MUNCIE, Ind. – Third-year head coach Sachin Kirtane has announced the signing of Priyanka Rana from Ahmedabad, India.

Rana will compete as a true freshman when she arrives this fall at Ball State. Rana began her tennis journey at the age of four and began competing when she was 8. Due to her commitment over the years, Rana has earned an International Tennis Federation junior world ranking of 341 and a Universal Tennis Rating of 9.0.

Throughout Rana’s career she has achieved a U12 National Ranking of 12 which marked the highest Indian ranking along with a U14 National Ranking of 10 in 2021.

Rana’s hard work excelled her international playing days when she was crowned the ITF Junior Tennis Tournament singles champion. She was also a U14 singles and doubles winner at the Asian Championships Ahmedabad.

In 2024, Rana was the singles and doubles winner at the ITF Junior Tennis Tournament in Bhubaneswar, India and earned another doubles title at the ITF Junior Tennis Tournament in Indore, India.

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INDIANA STATE TRACK

SYCAMORE QUARTET TO COMPETE AT 2025 USATF U20 CHAMPIONSHIPS

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Four Indiana State track and field athletes will compete against the best young talent in the nation Thursday and Friday at the 2025 USATF U20 Championships in Eugene, Oregon.

Freshmen distance runners Gnister Grant and Peyton Smith, and freshmen throwers Olivia Marshall and Emma Yoder will represent the Blue and White at Heyward Field.

Smith leads off the competition in the 5000m Thursday at 12:15 p.m. ET (9:15 a.m. PT), while Grant will compete in the 3000m steeplechase Thursday at 8:33 p.m. ET (5:33 p.m. PT). Yoder will pull double-duty Thursday in the throws events, competing in the hammer throw at 1 p.m. ET (10 a.m. PT) and the discus at 5:30 p.m. ET (2:30 p.m. PT), while Marshall closes out the week for the Trees Friday at 6:30 p.m. ET (3:30 p.m. PT) in the shot put.

Event Format

All five events which feature the Sycamores will consist of the top 16 declared athletes in each event, with each consisting of one heat (track events) or flight (field events). In the throws events, each athlete will have three attempts with the top nine advancing to finals and earning three additional attempts.

Title-Winning Trees

Each of the four athletes who will represent the Blue and White at the 2025 USATF U20 Championships played a significant role for the Trees during the recent season, which saw Indiana State named the 2024-25 MVC Women’s Cross Country/Track and Field Program of the Year.

Grant and Smith were both part of Indiana State’s runner-up finish at the 2024 MVC Cross Country Championships, the Sycamores’ highest finish in women’s cross country since 1997. Smith carded a top-20 finish at the MVC Cross Country Championships and was one of Indiana State’s five scorers in its top-10 finish at the NCAA Great Lakes Regional, while Grant was in the top 40 at the conference meet.

Grant, Marshall, Smith and Yoder were all on Indiana State’s 2025 MVC Indoor and Outdoor Championship-winning rosters, with all three of the four Sycamores scoring points during the Trees’ track and field title-winning run. Marshall scored in the shot put at both the indoor and outdoor championships, Grant was a part of the Trees’ distance medley relay team at the indoor championships and Yoder won the discus throw at the outdoor championships.

How They Got Here

Peyton Smith quickly made her mark within the Indiana State cross country and track and field program, cracking the top 10 in program history in the 4K (ninth, 14:38), 5K (eighth, 17:32) and 6K (fifth, 20:55) as just a freshman. Smith also added top-10 times in program history in the 5000m run during both the indoor (ninth, 17:16.33) and outdoor (ninth, 17:02.95) track and field seasons, with her time of 17:02.95 at Alabama in April earning her a spot in Thursday’s USATF U20 Championship race. She also carded a top-10 finish in the event at the MVC Outdoor Championships, and placed in the top 20 at the MVC Cross Country Championships.

Gnister Grant also etched her name in the program record books during her first season as a Sycamore, finishing with top-20 times in program history in both the 4K (13th, 14:49) and 6K (16th, 21:46) in her debut season with the Blue and White. She also performed well in relay events for the Trees during the track and field season, featuring in the Sycamores’ ninth-ranked indoor distance medley relay team in program history (11:52.20) and third-ranked outdoor 4x1600m relay in program history (19:59.08). Grant earned her spot in Thursday’s USATF U20 Championship field for the steeplechase with her time of 11:12.40 which came at Indiana State in May. She has gone under the 11:20 mark in the event in each of her last two appearances.

Marshall played a significant role for Indiana State in a strong season for the Sycamore throwers, scoring at the MVC Indoor Championships and earning a pair of top-10 finishes at the MVC Outdoor Championships. Her top shot put mark of 14.66m (48-1.25), which came at Indiana State in May, earned her a spot in Friday’s USATF U20 Championship field. Marshall placed in the top 10 in the MVC in four of the five events she contested between the indoor and outdoor championships, putting together one of the most consistent seasons for a Sycamore freshman thrower. She also had a season-best discus mark of 39.79m (130-6) at the MVC Championships, and has gone over 49 meters in the hammer throw three different times, with her best mark being 49.68m (168-0) in April at Indiana State.

Yoder had a debut season to remember with the Sycamores, culminating in an MVC Championship in the discus and MVC Freshman of the Year accolades for the outdoor track and field season. She became the first Sycamore to win the conference title in the event since Erin Reese in 2019 with her season-best mark of 48.38m (158-9), and also scored points for the Blue and White in the hammer throw with a toss of 51.10m (167-8), finishing with double-digit points at the outdoor championships. Yoder’s MVC Championship mark in the discus qualified her for the USATF U20 Championships in the event, and she also secured a spot in the hammer throw with her top mark mark of 51.60m (169-3), which was set at Indiana State in May.

Championship Implications

A Gold Medal, emblematic of the U20 Championships of the United States of America, will be given to the winner of each Championship event, a Silver Medal to second place, and Bronze Medals to third through sixth places.

The top two athletes in each event have traditionally earned a spot on Team USA for the Pan-American U20 Championships, with the third-place finisher serving as an alternate. However, USATF recently announced that the federation will not send a delegation to this year’s Pan-American U20 Championships in Colombia.

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PURDUE FT. WAYNE WOMEN’S TRACK

LILLIAN HURD AND BODEN GENOVESE QUALIFY FOR USATF U20 OUTDOOR CHAMPIONSHIPS

FORT WAYNE, Ind. – Purdue Fort Wayne’s Lillian Hurd and Boden Genovese qualified for the USATF U20 outdoor Championships on Thursday, June 19, in Eugene, Oregon.

Hurd will compete in the 400 meter at 3:46 p.m. PT/6:46 p.m. ET on Thursday, with a chance to advance to the final on Friday at 4:56 p.m PT/7:56 p.m. ET. Live results can be found here and the up-to-date schedule can be found here.

Hurd was a member of the 4×400 and 3×100 relays that won at the Horizon League Outdoor Championships earlier this year. She also won the 400 meter and 4×400 relay title at the Horizon League Indoor Championships and was named the Indoor Freshman of the Year. She had a personal best of 55.64 in the 400 at the Vertklasse Meeting on April 4.

Genovese qualified in the 1,500 meter and 800 meter, but will not compete in Eugene. Genovese had a personal best of 3:52.07 in the 1500 at the Spartan Invite and his 1:52.69 in the 800 at the Mount Union Last Chance Meet was his PR.

It is the third year in a row a Mastodon has competed in the U20 Championships. Austin Hall competed in the 10,000 meter in 2023 and Haylee Hile competed in the steeplechase in 2024. Hall took second in the 10K, only bested by Ethan Coleman of Notre Dame. This is the first year that student-athletes from both the men’s and women’s programs have earned a spot at the U20 Championships in the same year.

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SMALL COLLEGE WEB SITES

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

MARIAN ATHLETICS: https://muknights.com/

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

EARLHAM ATHLETICS: https://goearlham.com/

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

FRANKLIN ATHLETICS: https://franklingrizzlies.com/

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

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

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

BETHEL ATHLETICS: https://bupilots.com/

DEPAUW ATHLETICS: https://depauwtigers.com/

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

MANCHESTER ATHLETICS: https://muspartans.com/

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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“SPORTS EXTRA”

TODAY IN BASEBALL HISTORY

June 19

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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TODAY IN SPORTS HISTORY

June 19

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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TV SPORTS TUESDAY

Thursday, June 19

COLLEGE BASEBALL

2 p.m.

ESPN — Men’s College World Series: TBD, Game 13, Omaha, Neb. (If Necessary)

7 p.m.

ESPN — Men’s College World Series: TBD, Game 14, Omaha, Neb. (If Necessary)

GOLF

11 a.m.

GOLF — LPGA Tour: The 2025 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship: First Round, Fields Ranch East at PGA Frisco, Frisco, Texas

3 p.m.

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

9 p.m.

GOLF — PGA Tour Champions: The Kaulig Companies Championship, First Round, Firestone Country Club South Course, Akron, Ohio (Taped)

MLB BASEBALL

1 p.m.

MLBN — Regional Coverage: L.A. Angels at N.Y. Yankees (1:05 p.m.) OR Pittsburgh at Detroit (1:10 p.m.)

4 p.m.

MLBN — Regional Coverage: Arizona at Toronto (3:05 p.m.) OR Cleveland at San Francisco (4:05 p.m.)

7 p.m.

MLBN — Regional Coverage: N.Y. Mets at Atlanta (7:15 p.m.) OR Baltimore at Tampa Bay (7:35 p.m.)

11 p.m.

MLBN — Regional Coverage: San Diego at L.A. Dodgers (10:10 p.m.) OR Houston at Athletics (10:05 p.m.)

NBA BASKETBALL

8:30 p.m.

ABC — NBA Finals: Oklahoma City at Indiana, Game 6 (If Necessary)

SOCCER (MEN’S)

6:30 p.m.

FS1 — CONCACAF Gold Cup Group Stage: Trinidad and Tobago vs. Haiti, Group D, Houston

9 p.m.

FS1 — CONCACAF Gold Cup Group Stage: U.S. vs. Saudi Arabia, Group D, Austin, Texas

WNBA BASKETBALL

7 p.m.

PRIME VIDEO — Phoenix at New York

10 p.m.

PRIME VIDEO — Indiana at Golden State

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Friday, June 20

AUSTRALIAN RULES FOOTBALL (MEN’S)

2 a.m. (Saturday)

FS1 — AFL: Sydney at Port Adelaide

AUTO RACING

3:30 p.m.

FS2 — NXT IndyCar Series: Practice, Road America, Elkhart Lake, Wis.

4:30 p.m.

FS2 — NTT IndyCar Series: Practice, Road America, Elkhart Lake, Wis.

5 p.m.

FS1 — NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series: The MillerTech Battery 200, Pocono Raceway, Long Pond, Pa.

GOLF

11 a.m.

GOLF — LPGA Tour: The 2025 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship: Second Round, Fields Ranch East at PGA Frisco, Frisco, Texas

3 p.m.

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

9 p.m.

GOLF — PGA Tour Champions: The Kaulig Companies Championship, Second Round, Firestone Country Club South Course, Akron, Ohio (Taped)

MIXED MARTIAL ARTS

9 p.m.

ESPN — 2025 PFL World Tournament – Semifinals: Lightweights, Bantamweights & Women’s Flyweights, Wichita, Kan.

MLB BASEBALL

2 p.m.

MLBN — Seattle at Chicago Cubs (2:20 p.m.)

7 p.m.

MLBN — Regional Coverage: Baltimore at N.Y. Yankees (7:05 p.m.) OR Detroit at Tampa Bay (7:05 p.m.)

7:15 p.m.

APPLE TV+ — N.Y. Mets at Philadelphia

9:40 p.m.

APPLE TV+ — Kansas City at San Diego

10 p.m.

MLBN — Regional Coverage: Washington at L.A. Dodgers (10:10 p.m.) OR Boston at San Francisco (10:15 p.m.)

NHL HOCKEY

8 p.m.

TNT — Stanley Cup Final: Florida at Edmonton, Game 7 (If Necessary)

TRUTV — Stanley Cup Final: Florida at Edmonton, Game 7 (If Necessary)

SOCCER (MEN’S)

7 p.m.

ESPN2 — USL Championship: Colorado at Lexington

7:30 p.m.

FS1 — CONCACAF Gold Cup Group Stage: Jamaica vs. Guadeloupe, Group C, San Jose, Calif.

10 p.m.

FS1 — CONCACAF Gold Cup Group Stage: Guatemala vs. Panama, Group C, Austin, Texas

SOFTBALL

7 p.m.

ESPNU — Athletes Unlimited: Talons vs. Volts, Wichita, Kan.

WNBA BASKETBALL

7:30 p.m.

ION — TBA

10 p.m.

ION — Seattle at Las Vegas

_____

Saturday, June 21

AUTO RACING

8:55 a.m.

FS1 — FIM MotoGP: The Brembo Grand Prix of Italy – Sprint Race, Tuscany, Italy

10 a.m.

FS1 — NXT IndyCar Series: Practice, Road America, Elkhart Lake, Wis.

11 a.m.

FS1 — NTT IndyCar Series: Practice, Road America, Elkhart Lake, Wis.

1:30 p.m.

FS1 — NXT IndyCar Series: Qualifying, Road America, Elkhart Lake, Wis.

2:30 p.m.

FS1 — NTT IndyCar Series: Qualifying, Road America, Elkhart Lake, Wis.

3:30 p.m.

CW — NASCAR Xfinity Series: The Explore the Pocono Mountains 250, Pocono Raceway, Long Pond, Pa.

COLLEGE BASEBALL

7 p.m.

ESPN — Men’s College World Series – Finals: TBD, Game 1, Omaha Neb.

ESPNU — Men’s College World Series – Finals: TBD, Game 1, Omaha Neb. (UmpCast)

FOOTBALL (WOMEN’S)

3 p.m.

ESPN2 — 2025 Women’s National Football Conference Championship: Washington vs. Texas, Frisco, Texas

GOLF

1 p.m.

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

1:30 p.m.

NBC — LPGA Tour: The 2025 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship: Third Round, Fields Ranch East at PGA Frisco, Frisco, Texas

3 p.m.

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

GOLF — LPGA Tour: The 2025 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship: Third Round, Fields Ranch East at PGA Frisco, Frisco, Texas

Midnight

GOLF — PGA Tour Champions: The Kaulig Companies Championship, Third Round, Firestone Country Club South Course, Akron, Ohio (Taped)

HORSE RACING

9 a.m.

NBC — The Royal Ascot: From Ascot Racehorse, Ascot, United Kingdom

12:30 p.m.

FS1 — NYRA: America’s Day at the Races

LACROSSE (MEN’S)

4 p.m.

ESPN — PLL: New York vs. Philadelphia, Baltimore

7 p.m.

ESPN2 — PLL: Boston vs. Maryland, Baltimore

MIXED MARTIALS ARTS

Noon

ESPN — UFC Fight Night Prelims: Undercard Bouts, Baku, Azerbaijan

3 p.m.

ABC — UFC Fight Night Main Card: Jamahal Hill vs. Khalil Rountree Jr. (Light Heavyweights), Baku, Azerbaijan

MLB BASEBALL

Noon

MLBN — Regional Coverage: Detroit at Tampa Bay (12:10 p.m.) OR Baltimore at N.Y. Yankees (1:05 p.m.)

4 p.m.

FS1 — Texas at Pittsburgh

7 p.m.

FOX — Regional Coverage: Kansas City at San Diego OR N.Y Mets at Philadelphia

10 p.m.

MLBN — Regional Coverage: Washington at L.A. Dodgers (10:10 p.m.) OR Cleveland at Athletics (10:05 p.m.)

RUGBY (MEN’S)

1 p.m.

ESPN2 — MLR Eastern Conference Final: TBD

9 p.m.

ESPN2 — MLR Western Conference Final: TBD

SOCCER (MEN’S)

8 p.m.

FS1 — CONCACAF Gold Cup Group Stage: Curacao vs. Canada, Group B, Houston

10:30 p.m.

FS1 — CONCACAF Gold Cup Group Stage: El Salvador vs. Honduras, Group B, Houston

SOCCER (WOMEN’S)

7:30 p.m.

ION — NWSL: Bay FC at NJ/NY Gotham FC

10 p.m.

ION — NWSL: Chicago at Portland

SOFTBALL

5 p.m.

ESPNU — Athletes Unlimited: Talons vs. Volts, Norman, Okla.

7 p.m.

MLBN — Athletes Unlimited: Bandits vs. Blaze, Wichita Kansas

WNBA BASKETBALL

1 p.m.

ABC — Phoenix at Chicago

8 p.m.

NBATV — Los Angeles at Minnesota

_____

Sunday, June 22

AUTO RACING

7:30 a.m.

FS1 — FIM MotoGP: The Brembo Grand Prix of Italy, Tuscany, Italy

10 a.m.

FS1 — NTT IndyCar Series: Warmup, Road America, Elkhart Lake, Wis.

11 a.m.

FS1 — NXT IndyCar Series: The Grand Prix at Road America, Road America, Elkhart Lake, Wis.

Noon

NBC — IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship: The Saleh’s Six Hours of Glen, Watkins Glen International, Watkins Glen, N.Y.

1:30 p.m.

FOX — NTT IndyCar Series: The Xpel Grand Prix at Road America, Road America, Elkhart Lake, Wis.

2 p.m.

FS1 — NHRA: Qualifying, Virginia Motorsports Park, North Dinwiddie, Va.

PRIME VIDEO — NASCAR Cup Series: The Great American Getaway 400 Presented by VISITPA.COM, Pocono Raceway, Long Pond, Pa.

4 p.m.

FOX — NHRA: The Virginia NHRA Nationals, Virginia Motorsports Park, North Dinwiddie, Va.

BIG3 BASKETBALL

1 p.m.

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

COLLEGE BASEBALL

2:30 p.m.

ABC — Men’s College World Series – Finals: TBD, Game 2, Omaha, Neb.

ESPNU — Men’s College World Series – Finals: TBD, Game 2, Omaha, Neb. (UmpCast)

GOLF

1 p.m.

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

3 p.m.

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

GOLF — LPGA Tour: The 2025 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship: Final Round, Fields Ranch East at PGA Frisco, Frisco, Texas

NBC — LPGA Tour: The 2025 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship: Final Round, Fields Ranch East at PGA Frisco, Frisco, Texas

11:30 p.m.

GOLF — PGA Tour Champions: The Kaulig Companies Championship, Final Round, Firestone Country Club South Course, Akron, Ohio (Taped)

HORSE RACING

12:30 p.m.

FS1 — NYRA: America’s Day at the Races

4 p.m.

FS1 — NYRA: America’s Day at the Races

LACROSSE (MEN’S)

Noon

ABC — PLL: Utah vs. Denver, Baltimore

MLB BASEBALL

1:30 p.m.

MLBN — Regional Coverage: Texas at Pittsburgh (1:35 p.m.) OR Atlanta at Miami (1:40 p.m.)

4:30 p.m.

MLBN — Regional Coverage: Kansas City at San Diego (4:10 p.m.) OR Boston at San Francisco (4:05 p.m.)

7 p.m.

ESPN — N.Y. Mets at Philadelphia

NBA BASKETBALL

8:30 p.m.

ABC — NBA Finals: Indiana at Oklahoma City, Game 7 (If Necessary)

SOCCER (MEN’S)

7 p.m.

FOX — CONCACAF Gold Cup Group Stage: Haiti vs. U.S., Group D, Arlington, Texas

FS1 — CONCACAF Gold Cup Group Stage: Trinidad and Tobago vs. Saudi Arabia, Group D, Las Vegas

10 p.m.

FS1 — CONCACAF Gold Cup Group Stage: Mexico vs. Costa Rica, Group A, Las Vegas

WNBA BASKETBALL

3 p.m.

ESPN — Indiana at Las Vegas

7 p.m. NBATV — New York at Seattle