Sports category, Page 667
Final Four serves up usual menu of fun stories — and UConn looks to snuff out all of them
GLENDALE, Ariz. — The Final Four this week delivers the last entry in college basketball’s heartwarming yearbook, an annual assortment of legendary longshots, coaches looking for hugs and magic oozing from every corner of the bracket. Only problem with the 2024 version: UConn doesn’t believe in magic. The only thing...
‘It’s important for us’: Home opener battery of Jared Jones, Henry Davis paints Pirates’ future
WASHINGTON, D.C. — With 22-year-old right-hander Jared Jones on the mound and 24-year-old Henry Davis expected to be behind the plate for the home opener Friday at PNC Park, the Pittsburgh Pirates are giving a glimpse of their future to fans. Where Jones is almost half the age of Rich...
Pitt Take 5: Pat Narduzzi hopes Saturday scrimmage upstages next week’s Blue-Gold Game
The Big Blitz dance, jazz and rock band won’t be performing at Acrisure Stadium on Saturday. Bad AZZ BBQ won’t be cooking smoked ribs on the street. ESPN’s Louis Riddick won’t be helping to launch a new Pitt apparel line for his alma mater. ACC Network cameras will be shut...
Derry, Lower Burrell, Trafford, Yough join District 31 Legion
District 31 American Legion baseball doesn’t start until May 20, but the league has made offseason noise by expanding to 14 teams. Jason Bush, who serves as the District 31 president and Region 7 director, believes the league is the largest in the state. “We were actually in talks with...
Highly touted CB Nate Wiggins, Christian McCaffrey’s brother among Steelers draft visits
One of the top cornerbacks available plus the brother of one of the NFL’s most recognizable players were among those hosted by the Pittsburgh Steelers for official pre-draft visits Thursday. Clemson’s Nate Wiggins is the type of rangy (6-foot-1, 173 pounds) cornerback the Steelers have traditionally coveted, and he’s projected...
Derek Shelton ‘excited’ to catch Jim Leyland’s ceremonial 1st pitch at Pirates’ home opener
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Derek Shelton broke into a big smile and laughed when asked what it means to the Pittsburgh Pirates manager that Jim Leyland will be throwing out the ceremonial first pitch before the home opener against the Baltimore Orioles on Friday at PNC Park. Then Shelton quickly added...
Masters ’24: Capsules of 10 key players at Augusta NationalVideo
A capsule look at 10 key players for the Masters, to be played April 11-14 (listed in predicted order of finish): SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER Age: 27. Country: United States. World ranking: 1. Worldwide victories: 9. Majors: Masters (2022). Masters appearances: 4. Masters memory: Having such a large lead that he could...
South Carolina’s Dawn Staley is the AP Coach of the Year for the 2nd time
Dawn Staley did a masterful job guiding a young South Carolina team back to the Final Four with an undefeated record for the second straight season. Staley was honored Thursday as The Associated Press women’s college basketball Coach of the Year for the second time. She received 27 votes from...
Penn State QB Drew Allar comfortable in new offensive scheme
Drew Allar is in the midst of a crucial offseason ahead of a potentially career-defining season. Penn State’s quarterback hopes to lead the Nittany Lions to a College Football Playoff berth and Big Ten title charge in 2024. The groundwork for that push is being laid now, in spring camp....
Athletics announce plans to play the next 3 seasons in minor league park near Sacramento
OAKLAND, Calif. — The Athletics will leave Oakland after this season and play temporarily at a minor league park near Sacramento until their planned new stadium in Las Vegas is built. The A’s announced the decision to play at the home of the Sacramento River Cats from 2025-27 with an...
Caitlin Clark of Iowa is the AP Player of the Year in women’s hoops for the 2nd straight season
Caitlin Clark is capping her illustrious college career with another record-breaking season and another set of prestigious awards. The star guard from Iowa was honored Thursday as The Associated Press Player of the Year in women’s basketball for the second consecutive year. Clark received 35 votes from the 36-member national...
Mercyhurst athletics moves up to Division I, will compete in Northeast Conference
Mercyhurst is bumping up its athletics program. The private Catholic-affiliated institution in Erie announced Thursday that it accepted an invitation into the Division I Northeast Conference, effective this fall for the 2024-25 academic year. With the exception of the men’s and women’s ice hockey teams, Lakers athletics currently competes at...
Penguins recall forward Sam Poulin from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton
The Pittsburgh Penguins recalled rookie forward Sam Poulin from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey League on Friday morning in advance of a crucial road game against the rival Washington Capitals. This marks the second time this season Poulin has been recalled to the NHL roster. He was previously summoned on...
U mad, bro?: Readers bristle at criticism of Russell Wilson from Seattle, idea of Dak Prescott in Pittsburgh next year
As always, this week’s “U mad, bro?” relies on meat and potatoes: Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback debates and Penguins trades. But we also branch out to some uncharted territory: concert bookings, World War II history, and, even more foreign of a concept, the NBA. Never accuse my readers and listeners of...
First Call: Steelers may have eyes on Joey Porter Jr.’s cousin; new Steelers jersey numbers known
In Thursday’s “First Call,” the Pittsburgh Steelers could be expanding the family tree in the defensive backfield. Justin Fields’ jersey number is now known. Penguins fans are keeping an eye on the Eastern Conference standings. Pirates fans watched another unbeaten team go down as their own team was losing for...
Here’s a new one for WPIAL athletic directors: Game called on account of solar eclipse
Athletic directors are not surprised when rain or snow wreaks havoc on spring sports schedules. But there’s another act of nature — one far more infrequent — that has WPIAL schools rescheduling games slated for Monday. It’s the solar eclipse. The much-anticipated astronomical event will arrive in Western Pennsylvania between...
Jack Suwinski finds favorable matchups, produces extra-base hits for Pirates in defeat
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Jack Suwinski waited five games to finally face a right-handed starting pitcher and move into the cleanup spot in the Pittsburgh Pirates’ lineup. The lefty slugger came off the bench in three of the first five games this season, as the Pirates faced a steady string of...
Minor league report: Nailers fall to Fuel in overtimeVideo
Despite a goal and three assists by forward Dillon Hamaliuk, the Wheeling Nailers lost, 6-5, in overtime to the Indy Fuel at Indiana Farmers Coliseum in Indianapolis on Wednesday. Forward Dustin Manz had two goals for Wheeling (35-28-4-1) which has lost four consecutive games while forward Jordan Frasca contributed three...
UConn men delayed ahead of Final Four because of plane issues
STORRS, Conn. — Defending national champion UConn’s trip to a second consecutive Final Four is having a tough time getting off the ground. The Huskies were still in Connecticut on Wednesday night after the plane they were supposed to take to Arizona experienced mechanical issues getting to the East Coast....
Mitch Keller hit hard, Pirates strike out 13 times in first loss of season
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Pittsburgh Pirates were bound to lose eventually. They went down swinging, only after having so many strike calls go against them. The Washington Nationals struck out 13 batters, with five going down looking at called third strikes. When Bryan Reynolds was called for breaking his wrists...
All 10 skaters brawl off opening faceoff at start of Devils-Rangers gameVideo
NEW YORK — The New York Rangers and New Jersey Devils started Wednesday night’s game with a brawl involving all 10 players on the ice off the opening faceoff. The main event was Rangers forward Matt Rempe taking on New Jersey’s Kurtis MacDermid, with the two having history from the...
‘You got some Yinzer in ya’: Pirates catcher Joey Bart has deep family ties to Lower Burrell
WASHINGTON, D.C. — As soon as Joey Bart got word that he had been traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates, he called his father. Tommy Bart grew up in Lower Burrell, where he was a multi-sport star for the Burrell Bucs and instilled his love for Western Pennsylvania in his son....
Rory McIlroy, Bryson DeChambeau press for golf unification
DORAL, Fla. — Rory McIlroy and Bryson DeChambeau will be the in the same place next week when they head to Augusta National for the Masters. They’re saying the same things this week, albeit a golf world apart. Sounding an alarm going into the year’s first major, McIlroy and DeChambeau...
‘An awesome privilege’: Pirates rookie RHP Jared Jones to start vs. Orioles in home opener
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Jared Jones didn’t realize he was scheduled to start Friday’s home opener for the Pittsburgh Pirates until he got a text message from his father. Even then, the 22-year-old rookie right-hander remained skeptical. “He goes, ‘Hey, you know you’re scheduled for the home opener?’ No, I’m not....
Women’s Final Four ticket on resale market selling for average of $2,300, twice as much as for men
The average price paid for a ticket on the resale market this week was twice as high for the NCAA women’s Final Four compared with that for the men’s semifinals, according to a technology company that analyzes prices across multiple platforms. The average price of a ticket sold to the...
