Sports category, Page 1663
Pirates’ Derek Shelton has ‘very challenging decision’ with starting shortstop
The Pittsburgh Pirates promised a competition for the starting job at shortstop and, after narrowing a three-way battle down to two players, Derek Shelton is days away from making a decision. Whether he selects Kevin Newman or Erik Gonzalez to be the starter, the Pirates manager has found both players...
First Call: Penn State prospects have Steelers’ attention; Rangers throttle Flyers again
Friday’s “First Call” shows us NFL Draft prospects from Penn State who have the interest of Steelers brass. Nittany Lions star Micah Parsons impresses at his pro day but has one question hanging over his head. And the Philadelphia Flyers continue to give up goals at a comical rate. I’m...
Empty Thoughts: Penguins 4, Sabres 0Video
Observations from the Penguins’ 4-0 win against the Sabres: Between his skating, his willingness to play a hard, edgy style and a heavy shot, Jared McCann has plenty of skill. That’s apparent to the naked eye. But he’s never really nailed down a full-time role with the Penguins. Much of...
Grand Canyon basketball player Oscar Frayer killed in crash
PHOENIX — Grand Canyon basketball player Oscar Frayer died from a car accident, three days after the Antelopes played in the NCAA Tournament for the first time. He was 23. Frayer and his sister, 28-year-old Andrea Moore, were killed with an unidentified person in a car crash in Lodi, Calif.,...
Michigan, Villanova push past key injuries in NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 runVideo
INDIANAPOLIS — Villanova spent all season operating with the security of having senior point guard Collin Gillespie leading the attack. Michigan knew it could depend on versatile veteran Isaiah Livers. Now the Wildcats and Wolverines have figured out how to win without them in the NCAA Tournament. Gillespie is out...
Radim Zohorna steps up in NHL debut as short-handed Penguins shut out Sabres
The Penguins limped into their home game against the Buffalo Sabres on Thursday missing another vital component to their lineup. Forward Kasperi Kapanen was lost for a few weeks because of an undisclosed injury. With a handful of other top-nine forwards already absent due to their own maladies, the Penguins...
Bob MacIntyre battles world No. 1 Dustin Johnson to a drawVideo
AUSTIN, Texas — Bob MacIntyre grew up playing the rough-and-tumble Scottish sport of shinty, and he had more than enough fight to give Dustin Johnson all he could handle Thursday in the Dell Technologies Match Play. Johnson had to rally late with an eagle and a clutch birdie to send...
Phillip Evans goes 4 for 5 to lead Pirates’ 16-hit effort in loss to Orioles
Six Pittsburgh Pirates had multiple hits as they rapped out 16 hits Thursday night against the Baltimore Orioles. Problem was, none of them were home runs. The Orioles built a big lead, thanks to three-run homers by Ryan Mountcastle and Austin Hays, and held on for a 10-9 win over...
Top-ranked Ash Barty overcomes match point for Miami Open win
MIAMI — Because of canceled flights, it took Ash Barty 45 hours to travel from her native Australia to Florida for a tennis tournament. Her stay at the Miami Open will be longer than that, thanks only to an improbable comeback Thursday. The top-ranked Barty rallied from a big third-set...
Latrobe product Kokoska causing stir for Kansas State
Zach Kokoska was on the path to becoming a pitcher in college. No, really. “I was a left-hander who could throw 90 (mph),” the former Latrobe standout said. “Coaches jumped all over that.” But when he began to hit for power and average, that ship quickly sailed. When he left...
Oklahoma coach Lon Kruger retires after 35-year careerVideo
OKLAHOMA CITY — Oklahoma coach Lon Kruger announced his retirement Thursday, ending a 35-year career that included taking five schools to the NCAA Tournament — with two of them reaching the Final Four — and more than 650 career wins. The 68-year-old Kruger led Florida to the national semifinals in...
Hornets acquire former Pitt star Brad Wanamaker from WarriorsVideo
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The Charlotte Hornets acquired guard Brad Wanamaker, a former Pitt star, from the Golden State Warriors, a person familiar with the situation said Thursday. The teams exchanged heavily protected future second-round picks, according to the person who spoke to the Associated Press on condition of anonymity because...
Trade deadline passes, Kyle Lowry remains with RaptorsVideo
Kyle Lowry stayed with the Toronto Raptors, and the Miami Heat got Victor Oladipo instead. And on a trade deadline day where moves were getting made right up until the last possible moment, the Denver Nuggets took a big swing at getting better for a playoff run while the Orlando...
Penguins forward Kasperi Kapanen sidelined on ‘week-to-week’ basis
Pittsburgh Penguins forward Kasperi Kapanen will be sidelined on a “week-to-week” basis because of an undisclosed injury, according to coach Mike Sullivan. Kapanen was injured during the second period of Wednesday’s 5-2 home win against the Buffalo Sabres at PPG Paints Arena. Early in the middle frame, Kapanen appeared to...
2 Sabres coaches placed in NHL covid protocol
Buffalo Sabres interim coach Don Granato and assistant Matt Ellis have been placed in the NHL’s covid-19 protocol. The development leaves general manager Kevyn Adams taking over behind the bench for Buffalo’s game Thursday night at Pittsburgh. The team made the announcement two hours before the opening faceoff. This marks...
Art Rooney II: Steelers will do ‘everything we can’ to sign T.J. Watt to long-term deal
To keep some players from hitting free agency while remaining compliant with the salary cap, the Pittsburgh Steelers have gotten creative with their contract structuring, implementing deals that include voidable years. It’s not the avenue the organization will take when they try to re-sign Pro Bowl outside linebacker T.J. Watt,...
U.S. beats Jamaica in exhibition in AustriaVideo
Sergiño Dest scored his first international goal with a spectacular 25-yard shot, Sebastian Lletget added a pair of second-half goals and the United States beat Jamaica 4-1 in an exhibition Thursday night at Wiener Neustadt, Austria. Brenden Aaronson scored for the U.S. in the 53rd minute. Jamal Lowe got Jamaica’s...
An NCAA hockey tourney first: All 5 Minnesota teams are in
MINNEAPOLIS — For all Herb Brooks accomplished in the world of hockey, the Hall of Fame coach of the heralded “Miracle on Ice” team long held a localized goal of growing the college game in his home state. The NCAA Tournament bracket this year would’ve made Brooks proud. For the...
NCAA hires law firm to evaluate potential equity issues
INDIANAPOLIS — The NCAA is hiring a law firm to review potential equity gender issues related to how it conducts its men’s and women’s championship events. The NCAA has been criticized the past two weeks for not providing equal amenities to the teams in the men’s and women’s Division I...
Penguins recall forward Drew O’Connor to taxi squad
The Penguins have recalled rookie forward Drew O’Connor from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey League (AHL) to their taxi squad. O’Connor, 22, has played in nine NHL games this season and has one assist. At the AHL level, O’Connor, a first-year professional, has five points (three goals, two assists) in...
Micah Parsons shines at Penn State Pro Day, says he has talked with Steelers
For years during their time together at Penn State, Micah Parsons and Jayson Oweh competed to see who was the better athlete, knowing the competition would sharpen both their skills and their focus. Parsons and Oweh played different positions, and these competitions — mostly sprinting and lifting — occurred while...
Trout season will look different as pandemic alters rules, regulations
As warmer weather moves into our region, many fishermen are looking forward to trout season, which begins in less than two weeks in Pennsylvania. Due to the ongoing covid-19 pandemic, however, anglers can expect seasons, rules and regulations to be substantially different than in previous years, which means a little...
Few Black women coaches lead Power Five basketball programs
Dawn Staley and Joni Taylor embraced before and after the Southeastern Conference Tournament championship, savoring a historic moment in women’s basketball. It took 41 years for two Black women head coaches to meet in a tournament championship of a Power Five conference. For it to happen quicker was statistically improbable...
Kevin Gorman’s Take 5: Position decisions looming for Pirates manager Derek Shelton
By putting the pitcher in the batting order for the first time in spring training, Derek Shelton gave his first glimpse of what an Opening Day lineup could like for the Pittsburgh Pirates. A week before the opener against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field, the Pirates manager still has...
First Call: Questions about Al Villanueva’s status, Chase Claypool’s discipline, JuJu Smith-Schuster’s knee
Thursday’s “First Call” is caked with Steelers conversation. We look at Alejandro Villanueva’s future. Steven Nelson’s possible suitors. Potential discipline for Chase Claypool. And concerns about JuJu Smith-Schuster’s knee. And for hockey fans, a forecast of how Pittsburgh’s “Frozen Four” may turn out. Doubling down? It’s been a week on...
