Sports category, Page 619
Jake Lamb’s 2-run single lifts Pirates past the Blue Jays in Grapefruit League finale
Pittsburgh Pirates general manager Ben Cherington has found that spring training can have bookends to the conversations he has at its start and before making Opening Day roster decisions. Cherington didn’t know Jake Lamb personally before this spring, but the 33-year-old corner infielder/outfielder made quite the impression on the Pirates,...
Steelers agree to deal with well-traveled quarterback Kyle Allen plus DE Dean Lowry
ORLANDO, Fla. — The Pittsburgh Steelers have found their third quarterback as well as another depth piece for the defensive line. General manager Omar Khan announced Monday afternoon at the NFL annual meeting that the Steelers have agreed to contracts with quarterback Kyle Allen and defensive end Dean Lowry. Allen,...
Jared Jones wins spot in starting rotation, Luis Ortiz in bulk role as Pirates make final cuts
That the sensation of spring training for the Pittsburgh Pirates was a right-handed pitcher they drafted and developed was no surprise. But Jared Jones kept checking boxes to earn a spot in the starting rotation. That the 22-year-old Jones, a 2020 second-round pick, made the club and 2023 No. 1...
Westmoreland County campus clippings: Sophomore makes history in Pitt-Greensburg baseball’s home opener
Homer rhymes with Domer. Pitt-Greensburg sophomore baseball player James Domer launched a game-winning home run, and earned his first pitching win, as the Bobcats outslugged Chatham, 15-13, in their home opener. In a performance to beat the band, Domer went 6 for 6 with two homers, two doubles, five runs...
As he prepares to face Penguins for 1st time, Jake Guentzel fitting in with Carolina
Around the midway point of the season, Pittsburgh Penguins forward Jake Guentzel was asked about potentially signing a contract extension as a pending unrestricted free agent this upcoming offseason. He largely declined to answer the question. “I’m not going to go too much into detail about it,” Guentzel said Jan....
Tim Benz: Mike Tomlin is ‘excited about being uncomfortable’ — and I’m anxious about his ‘anxiety’
During the NFL meetings in Orlando, Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin spoke with media members and expressed excitement about working with new offensive coordinator Arthur Smith. “I’m just excited about being uncomfortable,” Tomlin said. “I think there’s growth in that. I think whether it’s individuals or collective, it’s good to...
Steelers agree with former Eagles receiver Quez Watkins on 1-year contract
Adding another veteran piece to their wide receiver group, the Pittsburgh Steelers have agreed to a one-year contract with former Philadelphia Eagles pass catcher Quez Watkins on a one-year contract, according to a league source. Watkins joins Van Jefferson as wide receivers the Steelers have signed since they traded Diontae...
Ravens coach John Harbaugh laments losing ‘all-time favorite’ Patrick Queen to Steelers
ORLANDO, Fla. — John Harbaugh didn’t want to lose inside linebacker Patrick Queen from the Baltimore Ravens. Not after Queen was selected to his first Pro Bowl in 2023. And particularly not to a division rival such as the Pittsburgh Steelers. Still, that doesn’t mean the Ravens head coach holds...
Mike Tomlin on new Steelers QB Justin Fields: ‘He oozes talent and potential’
ORLANDO, Fla. — Russell Wilson occupies the “pole position” at quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers in the offseason, but that won’t prevent Justin Fields from getting his chance to unseat the nine-time Pro Bowl and former Super Bowl-winning passer. Coach Mike Tomlin said Monday morning that the intrigue surrounding Fields...
Mark Madden: Penguins’ collapse in Colorado was unacceptable; their failures should dictate the future
Coach Mike Sullivan after the Penguins blew a 4-0 lead at Colorado on Sunday, losing 5-4 in overtime: “I thought we competed hard. That’s one of the most explosive offenses in the league that we played against. We knew they were going to push back. We competed hard all night.”...
Even in reduced role, Knoch grad Fischer proving valuable to IUP softball team
IUP softball coach Shawna Bellaud remembers the moment vividly. During the past offseason, rising senior pitcher Amanda Fischer came to her and said she wasn’t sure if she could continue playing softball. Years in the game had taken their toll physically, and some nagging aches and pains made Fischer reluctant...
Hempfield grad Olivia Persin’s return to form helps set example for young Saint Vincent softball team
Success can breed additional success. But success also can breed pressure. That’s what Saint Vincent senior softball player Olivia Persin figures happened to her last season. Not that a stat line featuring a .328 batting average with 11 RBIs and a team-leading 36 runs is poor by any stretch. Compared...
Competition fuels Forest Hills resident Sarah Mitchell as part of Steel City Surge women’s semi-pro volleyball
Lee Yong Ok rose to the top of her chosen sport in her native South Korea. She worked her way up the ranks in women’s volleyball, and her work paid off to where she was selected to play in and represent her country for the 1988 Olympic Summer Games in...
First Call: Mike Tomlin addresses Arthur Smith’s hiring, Mason Rudolph’s departure, Cole Holcomb’s health
Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin shared some background on Arthur Smith’s hiring, Mason Rudolph’s departure and Cole Holcomb’s recovery. A Steelers rival gives opinions on the franchise’s quarterback situation. And a Robert Morris men’s hockey goalie has a pro contract. All that in Monday’s “First Call.” Tomlin talks about his...
Madden Monday on Penguins’ woes: ‘Nothing is going to change’
Duquesne’s 89-63 NCAA Tournament loss to Illinois on Saturday night hurt in more ways than one. Not only did that decision end the Dukes’ magical postseason, but it also meant that fans of the Pittsburgh sports scene had to go back to primarily following the Penguins. Woof! Bad timing for...
U.S. beats Mexico on goals by Adams and Reyna, wins 3rd straight CONCACAF Nations LeagueVideo
ARLINGTON, Texas — Tyler Adams scored from about 35 yards in his first start in more than a year for club or country, Gio Reyna added a second-half goal and the United States beat Mexico 2-0 on Sunday night for its third straight CONCACAF Nations League title. Adams put the...
Post-Keith Dambrot era could feature familiar face on sideline for Duquesne
The Keith Dambrot era is a wrap. Duquesne’s outgoing basketball coach already had cast his vote for a successor before his last game Saturday night, but the decision ultimately will come from athletic director Dave Harper. Or will it? “Dave’s the boss,” Dambrot said last week during a news conference...
Darian DeVries named men’s basketball coach at West Virginia after 6 seasons at Drake
West Virginia tapped Drake men’s basketball coach Darian DeVries on Sunday to move the Mountaineers past one of the ugliest years in school history. DeVries signed a five-year contract, athletic director Wren Baker said. Terms of the deal weren’t disclosed. DeVries’ hiring came three days after Drake bowed out of...
West Virginia hires Drake’s Darian DeVries as next men’s basketball coach
West Virginia hired its next men’s basketball coach Sunday, and it’s a man who’s accustomed to winning. Darian DeVries, who led Drake to six consecutive 20-victory seasons, will be the third coach in the past nine months to lead the program. He agreed to terms of a five-year contract and...
After losing twice to Pitt, N.C. State visits PPG Paints Arena, continues sweet run
Let’s pretend for a moment. You’re a casual basketball fan, and you watched Pitt defeat N.C. State in Raleigh, N.C., on Feb. 7 and again March 9 at Petersen Events Center. Finally, you got tired of the constant flow of basketball information and shut off your computer and TV. You...
William Byron dominates NASCAR’s 1st road race of season, wins at COTA
AUSTIN, Texas — William Byron won the Daytona 500 with an agonizing final lap under a caution flag. He took the checkered flag Sunday at the Circuit of the Americas at full throttle. Byron started from pole position and delivered a dominant drive in NASCAR’s first road course race of...
Peter Malnati wins Valspar Championship with big break, great shot
PALM HARBOR, Fla. — Peter Malnati got a great break with the tournament on the line and followed that with an even better shot, making a late birdie on his way to a 4-under-par 67 to win the Valspar Championship on Sunday and earn his first trip to the Masters....
Calling it a ‘good move,’ Mike Tomlin supported Steelers trading WR Diontae Johnson to Panthers
ORLANDO, Fla. — Kenny Pickett may have sought a “change of scenery” that led to his trade from the Pittsburgh Steelers. Coach Mike Tomlin, though, didn’t get the same feeling about wide receiver Diontae Johnson, the other prominent player the Steelers traded this offseason. The Steelers sent Johnson, their most...
Mike Tomlin enjoying ‘discomfort’ that comes with Steelers turning over quarterback position
ORLANDO, Fla. — Since he last met with reporters in mid-January, Mike Tomlin has watched the only quarterback on his roster get traded in a stunning turn of events that saw the Pittsburgh Steelers acquire Russell Wilson and eventually Justin Fields. Kenny Pickett’s departure earlier in the month guaranteed the...
Penguins give up 4-goal lead in overtime loss to Avalanche
Despite a four-point effort by forward Sidney Crosby, the Penguins collapsed Sunday as they surrendered a four-goal lead and fell to the Colorado Avalanche, 5-4, in overtime at Ball Arena in Denver. A goal by forward Jonathan Drouin 54 seconds into the extra period was the difference. The result extended...
